The Ties That Bind
by TwistTie05
Summary: What happens when, in a cruel twist of fate, Kagome finds herself falling back in time – but it is Sesshoumaru she meets first, not InuYasha? A strange alteration in which Kagome's fate lies in the hands of a youkai instead of a hanyou. R&R!
1. Shooting Star

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -  
****An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter One: Shooting Star  
**000  
Kagome sighed softly, sitting at the desk by her window and gazing out at the night sky quietly. It had been a long and very tiresome day, and yet she couldn't bring herself to slip beneath the downy comforters of her bed and sleep. It felt as if someone had a fist clenched around her heart, slowly strangling the life out of her. She couldn't say why, exactly – she and InuYasha had gotten in fights a thousand times before. This was nothing new. And yet, somehow, it seemed different to her.

Perhaps it was because they were so close to the end – to the final battle against Naraku. Their nerves were all on edge. Even Shippo had seemed more fidgety than usual, and Miroku had lapsed into solemn silence. Still, ragged nerves were no reason for InuYasha to pick a fight with her – even if his intentions were good. She knew that he had told her to leave and return home because he did not want her in danger when they finally faced Naraku. She knew that, but after all these years traveling together, it hurt that he still could not trust her to stay by his side. Even after all this time…did he still think of her as a burden?

She could forgive him. She _would_ forgive him, she knew. That was how these things always worked. Whenever they neared the Well it would always come up again, in a variety of creative ways. Always, the question of whether she should return home. Of whether she should come back again. It didn't matter though. She still had a couple of the Shikon Shards – even if she didn't return to apologize to him, he would come to get her eventually. It was almost like a ritual between the two, playing on and on and on no matter the circumstances.

Still, the pressure in her ribs was beginning to suffocate her. This had, undoubtedly, been one of their worst fights yet – excluding that one painful scene when she had stumbled upon him in the arms of Kikyo, of course. She would return to _Sengoku Jidai_ on the morrow. Now if only she could get a good night's sleep.

She rose from her chair, stretching her sore limbs out with a half-stifled yawn. She moved over to the window, cracking it open a bit and leaning her elbows on the sill, her brown eyes upturned towards the heavens. She was always amazed to look up at the night sky after returning home. In InuYasha's time, the night sky was filled with millions upon millions of tiny pinpricks of light. Here, in the center of Tokyo, however, the night sky was dimmed from the constant glare of manmade lights.

As she contemplated the differences between their two eras, her mind wandered back to her dilemma – the dilemma that had begun when she first entered into that long ago time and met InuYasha, pinned to the God Tree. What would she do when it was finally over? When Naraku was finally defeated and they collected the last of the shards, what would she do then? Would she come home, never to return to the _Sengoku Jidai_ ever again? Would she abandon InuYasha forever? Or more importantly, would he abandon _her_? It was a question that had troubled her ever since her heart had first started thumping in InuYasha's presence – when the first spark ignited the stirrings of her emotions. Now that it was so very close to the end, it nagged her all the more.

"He would tell me to go home," she murmured to herself. The moment the words were whispered, she knew they were true. Even if InuYasha loved her, he would still tell her to return home – and even now she could not say for sure that he did. Kikyo always lurked at the edges of his thoughts, tugging him back into a past she knew little of. There was so much she didn't know.

It wouldn't have been so bad if he were more like his brother, Sesshoumaru. Not that she cared for the cold blooded youkai much, but she did have to admit that there were certain qualities in him that were desirable. She had never thought that before – it was only when Rin appeared in his life that she began to realize there was more to the young taiyoukai than it seemed. Besides, he wasn't loud mouthed and obnoxious like his hanyou brother was. It seemed he never lost his composure – never said foolish things that had no purpose but to hurt those around him. That was coupled with the fact that he rarely deigned to speak to others around him, of course, but Kagome could do with a bit of silence from InuYasha any day now. She was getting sick of his constant nagging.

"If only the two of them could switch places," she murmured softly. She didn't really mean it, of course, but she was angry. InuYasha could be so _dense_ sometimes.

"If only InuYasha and Sesshoumaru could just…switch places." She heaved a sigh, shaking her head a bit as she turned away from the window. It was time for her to go to bed, if she had any hope of going back to InuYasha's time tomorrow.

As she slipped underneath the covers, enveloped in the unaccustomed warmth of a present day bed, a small glimmer of light shot across the night sky.

000

It was early in the morning. Probably too early to be leaving, but the strangling feeling in her chest was becoming too much to bare. The sun's rays just barely kissed the horizon, the morning sky painted deep shades of gray. Winter wind hissed around her feet, tugging at the jacket she had thrown over her t-shirt and skirling late fallen leaves across the thin patches of snow on the ground. Everything looked gloomy and bare, forcing her to wonder if it was some sort of bad omen for the future. She pushed such thoughts aside quickly enough, however, and hurried towards the tiny hut that concealed the Bone Eater's Well from view.

She paused as she pushed the doors open, peering at the lump of shadows that marked the Well. Should she really go back so soon? Perhaps she should wait for InuYasha to come get her. Perhaps she should force _him_ to apologize first. She closed her eyes, leaning up against the door and taking a deep breath as her heart thudded against her ribs. She really was too stressed these days, but putting off the inevitable would only make it worse. She would have to face InuYasha sooner or later. The final battle was just around the corner. She could sense it. They could all sense it.

She pushed herself off the door, running a hand anxiously through her thick black hair as she stepped over to the Well. She threw the doors back, leaning against the old, wooden edge and peering into the ominous blackness. How many times had she made this journey? It was impossible to say. She had jumped into the cavernous hole of the Well so many times that even trying to keep track was a futile effort. Sometimes it was hard to even remember a time when she _hadn't_ been jumping between eras.

She bit down on her lip, attempting to silence her thoughts with slight pain. She flung her yellow, lumpy backpack over her shoulder, pushing herself up onto the edge of the old Well and dangling her legs over the side.

"Well, here goes nothing," she muttered to herself. Her heart skipped a beat – as it always did when she jumped off the edge of the Well into the darkness. Once, long ago, she had always wondered when the magic would stop working and she would crumple on the hard ground below instead of passing through time into another era. For awhile she had always climbed down slowly, just to make sure she wouldn't get hurt.

How things had changed…

She felt the slight pressure that pushed against her body as the darkness enveloped her. She could sense the magic – powerful magic – that pulled her away from her own time into another. She would face InuYasha soon. Perhaps even more importantly, she would face Naraku soon. And then they would all go their separate ways…

She sighed as her feet lightly touched the ground. It was covered in half rotted leaves and branches, old vines hanging down from the top. She craned her head back, staring up at the still murky gray sky. She thought it interesting that the weather here seemed to be the same as in her present time. Everything was dark and murky, completely devoid of color.

"Never mind that," she muttered, admonishing herself for her stupid thoughts. She walked over to the nearest and most study looking vine, adjusting her backpack on her back and then slowly hefting herself up, hand over hand, to the top.

She blinked as she came over the edge. Glaring white snow surrounded her on all sides, glinting in the faint light of morning rays. It must have just snowed the night before, for everything to be so white and pristine. She blinked as her gaze caught a flash of movement – was that white hair she saw? She couldn't help but smile slightly.

"InuYasha?"

Her breath caught in her throat.

"You know of my brother?"

She cursed herself, stumbling back against the edge of the Well and nearly falling backwards into its depth. That might be a good thing though – if Sesshoumaru decided to attack, it would be her only way to escape. She stood poised over the edge of the Well and only then did she pause to consider his words.

"Of course I do. What are you talking about?" she asked, her entire body tense as she pressed back against the Well. Her vision was finally starting to get accustomed to the glaring brightness of the snow. She could see him standing not far in front of her, just before the first trees on the edge of the clearing. He was wearing his usual attire, his haori hanging loosely around his frame, the fanged breastplate plastering his clothing to his chest. Long, silver white hair fell over his shoulders and down his back as gleaming golden eyes regarded her coldly.

"How should I know whether you know of him or not?" he asked, his voice serene but cold and threatening. She had insulted him. "I care not what my foolish half brother does with his time." His gold eyes appraised her closely, a frown twitching on the edges of his lips. "…nor who he consorts with."

Kagome's eyes widened slightly and then narrowed again. What was he talking about? Of course she knew his brother – he had seen her with the hanyou a thousand times before! Was he playing some sort of trick on her? Or perhaps he was simply pretending he had never noticed her existence before. That wouldn't be surprising. He never paid her any attention, no matter how many times they came across each other. She decided to humor him and let it pass.

"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru-sama? Haven't you already given up on the Tetsusaiga? What use is a blade you cannot wield, after all?" The look on his face truly startled her. His golden eyes widened into round orbs, a stunned expression flitting across his face. His lips curled back into a snarl and his hand shot towards the hilt of the sword hanging at his side.

"How do you know of this?" he hissed at her, hesitating at the edge of the clearing. "How do you know of the Tetsusaiga?"

Had he gone insane? Or perhaps she had. Or maybe she was dreaming. She didn't know, but it was really starting to frighten her. The look on his face was not a lie – not a game. He truly had no idea who she was, nor what she was talking about.

"Wh-what do you mean?" she stuttered, flipping one leg over the edge of the Well and dangling it into the opening. She had to be ready to jump in an instant – this man was fast, much faster than InuYasha. If he chose to attack her, she would be dead in an instant.

"Who are you, _girl_?" he snarled. She could hear the metallic click of metal against sheath as he pulled out the first inch of sword. "How do you know InuYasha and how do you know of me and the Tetsusaiga?" He paused for a moment before continuing, lowering his voice darkly. "Where do you come from? I did not sense your presence when I first came here. Why do you cling to the well, and how did you come to climb out of it?"

This was the most talkative she had ever seen him. And perhaps the most on edge as well. He was like his hanyou brother in that – neither of them liked to be caught off guard, left in the dark without a clue as to what they faced.

"I…I am Kagome," she stuttered. What was she supposed to say? Was she supposed to tell him about all the times they had met before, when he clearly did not remember her? "I am Kagome, InuYasha's companion. We have…met before," she whispered the last two words, her heart momentarily failing her. What was going on?

"Met before? You fool with me, human girl, and that is something I would _not_ advise. I have never met with you before. I do not consort with humans as my father and brother seem to so enjoy doing." His voice was a low hiss of hatred at the mention of his father and brother. This was truly the most emotional she had ever seen him. "And how could you know of InuYasha as it is? Unless you are, perhaps, not as young as you seem. As far as I recall, he has been bound to this tree, unconscious, for many years now!"

"Bound to the tree? The God Tree? What are you talking about? I already released him from…" Her voice trailed off then, her eyes going wide. Sesshoumaru eyed her warily, his claws still wrapped around the sword at his side. Her mind was whirling around and around in circles, continually asking herself just what was going _on_ now.

_Could it be? Could it be that I have…gone back too far? Gone back before releasing InuYasha? Before meeting Sesshoumaru for the first time?_ She couldn't even fathom the idea. Was there such a thing as a world where she was not friends with InuYasha? Was it even possible? Those times, before she had met him, were so far away…so vague and shapeless in her own memory. The idea of being without him was shattering.

She lurched forward without a second thought. It was a foolish thing to do – if she had hold of any semblance of sanity she would have known that. With Sesshoumaru standing on the edge of the clearing near where the God Tree was, a sword in his hand and suspicion on his face, gambling past him was the stupidest thing she could have done. He merely watched her through narrowed eyes, however. His body slightly stiff as she lunged past him, into the bushes and around the other side of the giant trunk of the God Tree. Could it be? Could it really be?

"InuYasha," she hissed breathlessly. For a moment it seemed as if she would suffocate. Her heart stopped beating and it seemed unwilling to start again. Dangling just above her was the limp form of the loud mouthed hanyou she knew so well – an arrow pierced through his chest.

Sesshoumaru was by her again, off to the side a distance but close enough to keep her within eyesight. His grip had loosened on his sword, however, and that was somewhat reassuring.

"It really is true," she murmured, slumping to her knees helplessly. "It really is…"

"Of course it is," replied the hard, cool voice of the taiyoukai. "Did you think I had lied?" She didn't answer. She simple stared up at the slumbering figure of her dearest friend. The friend that no longer knew her. The friend that had never met her.

"How did this happen?" she whispered. The taiyoukai shifted slightly. She could feel his golden gaze slide from her to the prone figure of his brother.

"Did you not say you knew of him? How could you not know, if you are so close?" he asked. There was no emotion in his voice – not even the wariness that had characterized his features only moments before. Perhaps he had come to the conclusion that she was not a threat.

Her shoulders slumped slightly. It was true. She really _had_ gone back to the beginning.

_No, not the beginning_…she thought. In the beginning there was no snow on the ground. In the beginning there was no Sesshoumaru hovering near the Bone Eater's Well. Was this, perhaps, somewhere _before_ the beginning?

She turned, her large brown eyes focusing on Sesshoumaru's figure more closely now. He regarded her in silence, upright and aristocratic as always. Her gaze fell on his left arm and once again she cursed herself. That should have been the first sign – his arm had not been hacked off in the battle against InuYasha yet. This was definitely before her time in the _Sengoku Jidai_.

"Why are you here?" she asked suddenly, her voice harsh. She paused, gulping, and ducked her head slightly in a clumsy bow. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she added. His golden eyes narrowed upon her downturned face before once again shifting to his hanyou half-brother.

"My business here is none of your concern, human child. You should be grateful that I have not wrenched your head from your neck…_yet_. I will not stand for your insolence any longer – leave now, and your life will be spared."

_Leave_? she thought, the word thundering in her ears. Why? What was he going to do? Did he plan on killing InuYasha? No…that couldn't be right. If InuYasha survived until the future when she was _originally_ supposed to come, then…

She dropped her head into her hands with a groan. She had never been very good in school and this was far to abstract for her. What was going _on_?

Her head jerked up suddenly, her gaze jumping to InuYasha.

"I could release him again," she murmured thoughtfully, ignoring Sesshoumaru's burning glare on the back of her head. She could do it, she was sure, but she had no idea what that would mean. As well as she could recall, InuYasha had tried to kill her after she had first released him. It was only the Prayer-Beads that held him at bay, and those were put on him by Kaede.

"Move now, human," Sesshoumaru said as he took a step closer. His voice retained its calm demeanor, but she could sense anger boiling beneath it. She scrambled out of the way as he continued moving forward, stopping just in front of his brother and turning to regard him. He slowly reached out a clawed hand towards the arrow.

Light crackled around him and he jerked his hand back with a slight, nearly indistinguishable grimace. His golden eyes narrowed, his brows coming together in thoughtful annoyance.

"It's a miko spell," Kagome said suddenly, cringing as the youkai slowly turned his cold gaze on her.

"I can see that," he pointed out stiffly. Kagome stared for a moment before taking a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves and collect her thoughts.

"You can't remove it. No one can. No one but Kikyo. Kikyo or…" Her voice trailed off and she pulled slightly. _What am I saying?!_ she screamed at herself. This was not the Sesshoumaru she knew. Well – it was, but not exactly. The point was, she shouldn't just blabber out anything without a second thought.

In fact, that was something she shouldn't do no matter _what_ Sesshoumaru she was talking to.

"Or?" he asked, a hint of steely impatience in his voice. This time he really did unsheathe his sword, swinging it around and pointing it at her neck. "Answer me."

Kagome drew back as she whispered her answer, her heart sinking. "Or…me."

"You?" he asked, arching a brow incredulously as he turned his gaze back to InuYasha. "You have the power to release him from the miko spell?"

"Yes," Kagome said breathlessly, her gaze on the sword hovering just before the soft flesh of her throat. "I can…"

He turned his attention back on her and was silent for a moment. He pulled his blade back, letting it hang by his side, and then nodded in the direction of his brother.

"Do it." She started at the command, lifting her head and staring at him with wide eyes.

"Wai…what? You want me to…no, why?" she asked, her voice stuttering. None of it really made sense to her. Why would he want to release his brother? Wouldn't he rejoice in leaving his brother here to rot?

"I have no reason to answer you, human," he said, his grip tightening on the sword at his side. "Do as I say if you wish to live."

Kagome drew back, her mind working frantically. Would he kill InuYasha? Sesshoumaru always _did_ have a strange sense of honor. Perhaps he wasn't willing to kill his younger brother when he could not fight back. Perhaps he wanted her to awaken him only so that he could kill him under the pretense of being 'fair'.

"You cannot kill me if you want to awaken your brother. I am the only one alive who can do it," she blurted suddenly. She didn't know where the words came from. They just came out.

The taiyoukai stared at her silently for a moment, his gaze burning through her skin. She wouldn't have been surprised if she simply dropped dead then and there. It certainly seemed like a look from him could kill.

"I could torture you instead," he answered coolly. "I could tear your limbs off one by one and still leave you alive. You do not require legs, after all, to pull out an arrow – do you?"

She shuddered. This was Sesshoumaru all right. She lumbered to her feet, moving slowly towards the God Tree. Sesshoumaru backed out of her way as she passed him, his golden eyes boring into her.

She turned as she stopped before the prone figure of InuYasha, her wide brown eyes regarding Sesshoumaru pleadingly.

"Please…just tell me this. It is all I ask, and I will pull the arrow from his chest." When the taiyoukai did not respond, she decided it was safe to continue. "Why do you want to wake him? You have no love for your brother, I know that much. Why not leave him to rot here?"

The taiyoukai's eyes watched her carefully. She knew that her words made him wonder – wonder how she knew so much about him. _He has never met me, after all_, she thought bitterly. Never before had she thought she would be so unhappy at the prospect of not being known by Sesshoumaru-sama.

"I came to see my brother…" he said slowly. She started, having not really expected an answer at all. Perhaps it was his wonder at her 'uncanny' amount of knowledge that led him to respond to her. "…because I search for my father's grave."

"The Black Pearl," she hissed. Now she remembered! Sesshoumaru had only been given a twisted clue by his father as to the whereabouts of his grave. He had sought InuYasha in the future time as well, though he had used a different method – a youkai in the form of his mother in order to extricate the information. But InuYasha was unconscious now – in a sleep as deep as any death. There was no way he could get the information from him in this form.

"The Black Pearl?" Sesshoumaru shattered her thoughts suddenly. She jerked, back up slightly. Her body brushed against InuYasha's practically dead form.

"What do you know of this matter?" he asked, taking a step towards her. "What is this Black Pearl you speak of?" There was no escaping now. She decided to plunge right in and see what happened.

Her hand closed around the arrow and with a clumsy jerking motion, it was freed.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

((Please Read and Review! Your thoughts, opinions and suggestions keep me warm and safe at night!))

**NEXT CHAPTER  
****Chapter Two: Father's Grave**

Kagome reveals the secret of the Black Pearl and the three old acquaintances spiral into the graveyard of the greatest inuyoukai of all time. The fated fight for the legendary blade, Tetsusaiga, begins.


	2. Father's Grave

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -  
****An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter Two: Father's Grave  
**000  
She stumbled backwards as the arrow came loose from InuYasha's chest with surprising ease, disappearing in a flash of light. She didn't have time to think of anything – no time to notice Sesshoumaru's stunned reaction, no time to watch as InuYasha stirred from his sleep. She scrambled down from the gnarled roots of the tree, back into the snow. This InuYasha did not know her. This InuYasha was not bound with the Prayer-Beads. This InuYasha could _kill_ her.

She had to keep repeating these facts over and over again in her head. It hurt. The strangling sensation in her chest was now literally suffocating her. But if she stopped repeating these things to herself then she would forget. And that could lead to her death.

"What is this?" She cringed at the sound of the familiar, coarse voice. It made the strangling sensation in her chest all the worse. She wondered if, perhaps, her heart would simply burst. Perhaps she wouldn't die at the hands of these youkai – perhaps her heart would simply overload and fail. It certainly felt that way.

"I see she did not lie then," Sesshoumaru's cold voice murmured. She had scrambled back until her back pressed against another tree – only then did she turn her gaze on the two brothers. If this turned out to be anything like their meetings in the future, it would be a bloody one.

The young hanyou pulled against the roots that strapped him to the tree, a triumphant grin revealing his sharp fangs as they cracked and burst around him. He stood upon the gnarled roots where she had stood only moments before, flexing his hands and staring at his newly controllable body.

"Free?" he snarled, his voice full of laughter – full of raucous, selfish joy. "Free? Ha! Who freed me? What _idiot_ freed me? Let me thank them! …with my _claws_!" Suddenly he burst into uncontrolled laughter, tossing back his head, the dog ears perched above his white hair flattening against his skull. Kagome sank back against the tree, what little hope she had held in her heart shattered and gone.

"InuYasha," she whimpered. The inuyoukai stopped laughing instantly, his gold eyes turning to regard her. For a moment he was silent and stiff, his eyes widening. Then they flashed to mere slits, gleaming with hatred as he leapt from the roots.

"_Kikyo_!" he hissed. She didn't have time to move – he was too quick. His hand flashed out, his fingers curling around her neck and lifting her clear off the ground. She yelped, struggling against his grip and clutching at his fingers as the breath was squeezed out of her.

"So it was _you_! How foolish of you – to have set me free in your lifetime. I will have my revenge now!"

"I…I am not…" Kagome struggled, but she did not have enough breath to continue. She could only struggle helplessly, tears welling up in her eyes. This was InuYasha! _Her_ InuYasha! He was trying to kill her…It made her realize just how much her friendship with him in the future had depended on those damned Prayer-Beads.

Without so much as a word – without so much as a warning – she was dropped hard to the snow packed ground. She gasped hungrily for breath as InuYasha yelped loudly, hopping back and clutching at his arm. He whirled away to face this new adversary, his golden eyes finally sweeping over Sesshoumaru.

"You!" he said, sounding startled. His voice lowered to a growl as he cradled his arm in his hand. She could see blood dripping from between his fingers. Sesshoumaru stood before them, claws dripping with blood and eyes narrowed to slits. "What are you doing here, _Sesshoumaru_?!"

"I see you remember me," the taiyoukai responded icily. "What an honor." He lifted his hand to his face, sniffing with a disdainful expression. "You smell of human filth."

"Bastard," InuYasha hissed, baring his fangs. "Why did you stop me? Why did you stop me from taking my revenge on that _bitch_, that _miko_?!"

"Miko?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome cringed as his gaze traveled slowly to her. His gaze shifted back to his brother quickly enough, his chin tilting up in lordly arrogance. "She is useful to me. She knows of something – something that I have been searching for for a long time."

"_She_ does? How do you know Kikyo?" InuYasha howled in rage, his claws flashing as he crouched into a battle ready position. Sesshoumaru only eyed him calmly, still standing straight and tall.

"Kikyo? I believe her name is Kagome – or so she said," he murmured coldly. "Though I doubt a human name makes much of a difference."

Apparently it did. InuYasha growled, turning slightly to face Kagome. He sniffed, his lip twitching as he growled low in the throat. He truly was feral, she thought. He had changed so much in his travels with her and their other friends. She only realized that now, when faced with this animalistic _other_ InuYasha.

"Feh. You look like her…but your smell." His nose crinkled slightly and a puzzled expression flitted across his face. It was a dilemma he had faced before, when she had first met him. She did, after all, share Kikyo's soul.

"That is unimportant," Sesshoumaru said, cracking his knuckles and turning his gaze on Kagome. "You are wasting my time. Tell me, _girl_, where is my father's grave?"

"Father's grave?" murmured the wild InuYasha, his gaze flicking between Kagome and Sesshoumaru. It was an awkward position to be put in, so soon after waking up. Kagome took a deep breath, her hands still massaging the points on her throat where InuYasha's claws had dug in too far. She had no idea what to do now, stuck between the two inuyoukai brothers. She could take them to the grave, certainly – neither of them would be able to wield the Tetsusaiga. Not even InuYasha, when he didn't have her to protect.

"What do you know of father's grave?" InuYasha growled, once again crouching readily as his gaze continued to flick between the two of them. It was hopeless, Kagome had to admit. She would die here. The only thing she could do was comply until she found a likely time to escape.

"The Black Pearl," she moaned softly, the words escaping as a mere whisper. Tears blurred her vision, though she bit her lip to stop them from sliding down her cheek. She would _not_ cry. She had faced more deadly situations than this a thousand times – or so she tried to convince herself. This was nothing. She would escape in the nick of time like she always did. Something would happen. She would _not_ cry.

"The left Black Pearl." She lowered her head, though she straightened her body and slowly pushed herself to her feet on shaky knees. "In his eye."

The expression of realization was frightening when it touched Sesshoumaru's face. He turned to his hanyou brother, his eyes wide and a slow smirk spreading across his lips. He even looked like he might laugh at any moment.

"Ah! How could I have not seen it before?" he hissed. "How amusing. Father certainly goes to extravagant means to keep his grave from being desecrated, I see."

"What do you mean?" growled InuYasha, getting more and more edgy now. "What are you talking about? What pearl?" Kagome pushed back against the tree as Sesshoumaru suddenly lunged forward, pinning his brother to the God Tree by the neck with one, sharp 'ha!' of triumph.

"It has been too long. I have been searching for too long. But I have finally found it. Come, InuYasha!" he snarled, lifting his hand and poising it over InuYasha's head as the younger hanyou struggled, hissing and snarling wildly. "Join me in father's graveyard – and meet your death at last!" Kagome squeezed her eyes shut as Sesshoumaru's hand plunged forward, cutting with a spurt of fluids through InuYasha's left eye and removing from it a small black pearl. InuYasha let out a wail of pain, dropping to his knees and clutching his eye as Sesshoumaru let go of him, holding the pearl up to the light with a smirk.

He turned away, ignoring the low howls of his brother. "Jaken!" he called into the forest. Kagome started as the little youkai tumbled out of the brush, two-headed staff in hand and wide eyes gaping up as his lord and master.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" he cawed. Kagome wondered how long he had been there, watching from the safety of the bushes. It didn't surprise her, really. Jaken was always nearby, but rarely ever directly where the fray would take place. She should have realized his absence earlier and looked for him among the brambles.

"Damn you," InuYasha growled, lowering one hand while keeping the other plastered over his bloody eye. "I'll _kill_ you for this!"

"Staff," Sesshoumaru commanded, ignoring the threats of his younger sibling. Jaken lurched forward clumsily, holding out the staff to his master.

"How long have I waited for this moment?" he pondered out loud as he took the strange, two-headed staff between his claws. He dropped to the black pearl to the ground, raising the staff up and slamming it down against the tiny stone. The grizzled old male head atop the staff opened its grimy mouth wide, emitting a grating and ominous cackle. The grin on Sesshoumaru's face widened slightly.

"The seal is breaking!" Jaken cawed. Kagome watched as the scene was replayed before her. She could see the future Sesshoumaru – the scene that _should_ happen in the future, that is – overlapping this Sesshoumaru. It was all so uncannily familiar in some ways, and yet terrifyingly different in others.

Black light swirled from the pearl, spreading across her vision wildly before just as suddenly retreating into a much smaller portal. Sesshoumaru was gone, as was Jaken.

"That _bastard_! You will not get away so easily!" InuYasha cried, lunging forward into the portal with hand clasped to bloody eye. Kagome watched, stunned for a moment. It had all happened in a matter of moments – the stabbing of the eye, the staff, and then the portal. Everything was going so sickeningly fast for her.

_I could escape now,_ she thought. The portal was closing fast. She had to make her decision quickly.

_InuYasha…how can I leave you_? Squeezing her eyes shut, one small tear sliding down her cheek, she lunged forward into the portal – and perhaps to her death.

000

"Sesshoumaru-sama! There it is!" Jaken squeaked, nearly falling over his own stubby feet in his hurry. He pointed with the two-headed staff towards the small pedestal. Wedged into it was an old, rusty looking sword of an unappealing appearance. That hardly mattered though. Sesshoumaru knew the power it contained. He had seen his father wield it many a time.

"Ah, at last," he murmured, stepping forward. A thousand bones scattered the surrounding area, crunching beneath his footsteps. He could not resist the smirk of triumph that pursed his lips as he neared the magnificent sword – the Tetsusaiga! The "Steel Cleaving Fang"!

He reached out a hand, his heart skipping a beat in his eagerness for the sword. His foolish father had left him the nearly useless Tenseiga – a sword that could save a hundred lives in a single swing. What use had for such a power? He – the young taiyoukai! The last full blooded inuyoukai left in the land! What use had he for the power of saving lives? None.

But that didn't matter anymore. The bitterness of being left naught but the Tenseiga was quickly fading away as he was faced with the powerful Tetsusaiga, said to be forged from the fang of his very own father. He reached out a hand, his fingers curling around the hilt.

He did not yelp as he started back. He simply grimaced, his lips curling into a snarl before relaxing into a faint frown as he regarded the large, grim looking welt across his hand. Steam was rising from it, and powerful energy was crackling around the hilt of the sword. He clutched his wrist with his healthy hand, lifting his golden eyed gaze from the unpleasant wound to the sword wedged in the pedestal.

"My father has become extraordinarily creative in the ways of making his sons' lives more troublesome," he murmured. Jaken scrambled beside him, his orb like eyes shocked and his mouth hanging open.

"Sesshoumaru-sa – " He did not finish the utterance. A shadow fell over the two from above and the raking voice of his foolish younger brother split the air.

"_Sesshoumaru_, I'm not finished with you!" he snarled as he leaped from the bony bird above, landing with a crack among broken shards of bone. He had finally removed his hand from the wound over his eye – it was beginning to heal already, Sesshoumaru appraised idly. Jaken was scrambling out of the way, through the mountains of bones to the corner of the arena to watch from a safe distance. He shouted needless encouragements from the sideline, waving about his two-headed staff.

"Foolish brother," he murmured softly. "So eager to face your death?" Another bone bird was soaring down from the sky. He watched out of the corner of his eye as the young human miko slid weakly from its back, slumping to the ground. He wondered what she was doing here. If she had any sense she would have escaped while she could have – but then again, when had humans ever had any sense? And she was a miko besides. They were the most foolish of the lot.

_Perhaps she has come to purify me_? he thought with a silent sneer. He would take great pleasure in rending her apart if she dared to try.

"Here I come!" the mindless hanyou snarled the warning as he lunged forward. Sesshoumaru watched in silence for a moment, waiting until InuYasha was just in front of him. At the last possible instant he catapulted into the air, neatly avoiding InuYasha's clumsy attack. He landed lightly on his feet a short distance away, his silver hair floating around him.

InuYasha skidded to a halt beside the sword. He glanced to it distractedly before shifting his gaze back to Sesshoumaru.

"Is _this_ what you came for?" he asked Sesshoumaru, waving his hand derisively at the ancient looking blade. "This hunk of _rust_? Ha!"

"The Tetsusaiga is no 'hunk of rust'," Sesshoumaru commented coolly, flexing his burned hand. "But I would not expect a foolish hanyou such as yourself to know that."

"Prepare to die!" snarled the hanyou, lurching forward again. This time Sesshoumaru didn't even bother to move. As InuYasha hurtled towards him he simply flung his hand out – thin, whip like strands of light flashing out and cutting into his foolish brother's flesh. The young pup gave a yelp of pain, falling back and clutching at his side.

"You waste my time," Sesshoumaru said calmly, taking a step forward and tilting his head up arrogantly. "If you wish to fight me, at least make it _somewhat_ entertaining, hm, dear brother?"

"Damn you, you bastard!" growled the hanyou.

"InuYasha…"

Sesshoumaru glanced to the side with a slight frown as the human stumbled before them. She did not look at him though. Her large brown eyes were centered on his hanyou half-brother. There were tears there and he could smell the pain, fear, and sorrow rolling off her in waves. Apparently his brother could smell it too. He drew back, crinkling his nose and growling low in his throat.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he snarled. Sesshoumaru lowered his hand, tilting his head to the side. He had to admit that this girl was intriguing to him – or at least as intriguing as a human _could_ be to one such as himself. Her attire was strange, like nothing he had ever seen before, and she seemed to have an uncanny amount of knowledge that should not have belonged to her. That was what he was most curious about. How had she known about the black pearl? Had she met his father? But that wasn't possible…she was too young.

"InuYasha," she murmured plaintively. "The sword – Tetsusaiga…it can only be used in the protection of a human being!"

"What are you blabbering about you noisy girl?" the hanyou barked. He lunged forward at the girl, apparently intent on ending her life then and there. It was an idea Sesshoumaru had entertained himself – but he would not allow it. He reached forward, his claws catching in InuYasha's arm and jerking him backwards. He threw him back, sending him crashing across the room in a wave of bones. The girl looked stricken.

"You are a more foolish human than I have ever met," he growled at her with a hint of irritation. "If you do not want to die, then get out of the way."

Was she ignoring him? He watched in amazement as she stumbled forward, her hands curling around the hilt of the sword. She was a fool, he thought to himself as he watched her. An annoying, human fool.

The shock he felt when she pulled the sword from the pedestal sent him reeling backwards a step.

"Tetsusaiga!" he hissed. Who was this girl with her strange cloths and odd knowledge? Who was this girl, who pulled the Tetsusaiga from its place when even _he_ could not?

InuYasha was once again rising to his feet from across the way. Sesshoumaru's gaze flicked between the human girl and his brother. He could not understand what all of this meant – and that bothered him. Why did it seem that this strange human girl knew both him and his brother, when it was clear neither of them had met her before? Why did her eyes fill with tears when she looked upon the twisted face of his half brother? How could she possibly know of his father's grave when neither he nor his brother did – when she was too young to have even _met_ him? None of it added up, and it was all beginning to grate on his nerves.

_Perhaps these miko have grown stronger than I had ever imagined_, he pondered thoughtfully. It seemed unlikely, but it was the only explanation he could think of at the time.

"You girl," he growled as his brother pushed himself to his feet. "Give me the Tetsusaiga." She turned to face him, defiance in her tear filled eyes. It was a strange combination.

"You cannot wield it. It can only be used for the protection of a mortal," she hissed at him. It was another bit of knowledge he had never known. How could she?

He reached out his hand towards the sword but the moment his fingers neared it, it began to crackle with magical energy again. He pulled back – he had no desire for another burn across his flesh. The girl did not draw away from him, but simply stared with eyes hard and cold. The tears were already beginning to dry up. What in the world was she thinking?

But his brother was coming back for more, the troublesome wretch. He was quickly getting fed up with his rash brother. He needed a chance to think about these things, but with his brother constantly lunging for his throat…well, it was not conducive towards his peace of mind. Perhaps it was time to be rid of him for good?

"Jaken! The staff!" he shouted across the room. The little youkai started at being called but quickly swung the staff around to face InuYasha. He watched in satisfaction as the mouth once again gaped open, this time spewing out a river of flames that engulfed the young hanyou. He wore his father's old clothing, however. He would not be affected by the flames – but it would give him some time.

He turned, his gold eyes narrowing on the human girl. She started slightly but straightened her shoulders to face him, as if asking him what he wanted from her. He wanted nothing from her. He would gladly be rid of her – but she could hold the sword when he could not, and she knew things she had no business knowing. Things even _he_ did not know. He swept his arm around her waist, jerking her bodily and roughly off the ground. She started, letting out a strangled yelp of surprise.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" He ignored her pleas and ignored her thrashing in his arm. The only thought he spared for her was to comment to himself on how pathetic humans were. Then she ceased to exist to him, even in her position in his grip.

"Jaken, it is time to go!" The youkai was already making his way across the arena of bones, his waddling steps unsteady and gangly. He moved quickly, however, and soon was by Sesshoumaru's side.

"Come then." He turned his backs on the flames. The human was thrashing, trying to turn around so that she might keep the flames in sight. As he leapt into the air he could hear her shrill scream echoing in his ears. He vaguely wondered why. _Why_ did she sound so horribly distressed?

She was screaming InuYasha's name.

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((Please read and review! Your reviews ward off the nightmares that would otherwise plague my peaceful sleep!))

**NEXT CHAPTER  
****Chapter Three: Questions**

Kagome finds herself held captive by Sesshoumaru and Jaken – and posed with difficult questions she cannot answer. How will her presence in the past effect the future? Will she ever be reunited with the InuYasha she knows and loves, or will Sesshoumaru keep her far from the Bone Eater's Well and her only hope of escape?


	3. Questions

**- THREADS OF FATE -  
****An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter Three: Questions  
**000  
When Kagome finally came to, her entire body felt like it was on fire. Every inch of her was sore and bruised, her muscles aching, her head pounding and her eyes stinging from too many tears. On top of all that, whatever she had been sleeping on was very hard and very cold.

She moaned as she pushed herself up onto her elbows, squinting at her surroundings. The light of a small fire sent wild shadows dancing all around her and the sky above was bedecked with a million little diamonds. A nearly full moon hung fat and heavy in the sky, its rays gently caressing the leaves of the thick forest all around her.

She sat in a rather small clearing, the branches of large, somewhat misshapen trees hanging over her. The ground was hard and cold, plagued with rocks and sticks that jabbed into her ribs and left ugly imprints on her skin. The fire was a modest thing, flickering unassumingly in the center of the little clearing. On the other side of the fire she could barely make out a small, squat figure carrying with it what seemed like a walking stick much to large for him.

She jerked up suddenly as memories rushed back into her head – the fight between InuYasha and Sesshoumaru and the fire that had consumed her friend. She knew he would not be injured by it, but all the same her breath momentarily caught in her throat. Where was he now? Was he badly injured from the fight? Not that there was anything she could do about it. He was equally eager to kill her as he was to kill his half-brother.

Speaking of…

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" she murmured softly, her eyes adjusting to the light of the fire and the darkness around her as she glanced hurriedly around. She could not find the tell tale glint of silky white hair and neither could she make out the tiny chips of gold that were his eyes. The only creature keeping her company was the odd little youkai called Jaken, his eternally wide eyes regarding her from across the tiny flames of the fire.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is not back yet, human," the little youkai said stiffly, regarding her with what she thought might be an arrogant expression, though it was hard to say with his inhuman features. She stared at him silent for a moment, massaging her shoulders to try to get some of the ache out of them. She inched forward towards the fire hesitantly and then paused as her sight caught on something else.

"Tetsusaiga," she murmured. The sword was lying next to her, sheathed and decrepit looking. She stared at it for a moment before being recalled from her thoughts by Jaken's grating voice.

"It seems that Sesshoumaru-sama cannot wield the sword and that only you can carry it," the little youkai pointed out tartly. He seemed somewhat disappointed. "That's why he has taken you with – to carry the sword until such a time as he may carry it himself." The youkai did not seem happy about this in the least. He regarded her suspiciously, his beak like mouth turned down in an irritable frown.

Kagome did not respond immediately. Her hand reached out, her fingers running along the edge of the blade. This was the blade InuYasha had saved her life with so many times before – but it was no longer his to carry now. She wondered if it would ever be.

"He will never be able to wield it," she murmured at last, flicking her gaze to the sky. She wondered where she was exactly – if she was close to the Bone Eater's Well, she might be able to escape to her own time and then try again later. Perhaps next time she would be sent to the right place, the right time.

"Where are we?" she continued before Jaken had a chance to respond. He glowered at her, his huge eyes narrowing slightly.

"We are a ways away from the God Tree where InuYasha was bound, though still in the same forest," the little youkai responded sourly. "Now stop talking, human. You tire me!"

If she wasn't so distressed, she might have found the whole situation absolutely hilarious. Here was Jaken – the little youkai that was constantly as far away from the battles as possible, always helplessly tagging along behind Sesshoumaru – berating _her_ for talking too much and insulting her as if she were some lower being. It had been the same in the future, of course, but they were rarely in much close contact, certainly never alone. This was entirely new for her.

_I could get up and leave now_, she mused. She didn't think that the little youkai would be able to do anything against her. She eyed the two-headed staff propped against his shoulder suspiciously, wondering if perhaps he _could_ do something against her. But then again, if he fried her she wouldn't be able to haul the Tetsusaiga around for Sesshoumaru, would she? But any human would do, wouldn't they? It didn't have to be her – and human could carry the sword.

_But he does not know that_, she reminded herself. For the time being, she was safe as long as she kept him clueless. Or at least, safer than she would be otherwise.

_But if I told him any human could do it, maybe he would let me go. Then I could return to the Bone Eater's Well and…_ Her thoughts trailed off helplessly. She didn't know what to do – mostly because she didn't know what _he_ would do. It was all so troublesome.

And then it was too late.

She lifted her gaze as Sesshoumaru's elegant figure moved gracefully into the clearing, his fur draped over his shoulder and his haori in pristine condition. It seemed that no matter how many fights he got into, he never looked even slightly ruffled. There were no tangles in his beautiful hair, no stains on his clothing and no blood or scars across his white skin. He was the most perfect of demons – a lord over lords. A _taiyoukai_.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" squawked Jaken, scrambling to his feet and bending over in a clumsy bow. "Welcome back. I have prepared a fire for your return." The youkai lord ignored him. His gaze scanned over the clearing before coming to rest on her. He regarded her silently for a moment before moving over to a tree some distance away and just barely in the light of the fire. He sat down silently, his back leaning against the trunk. Jaken continued bowing for a moment longer before glancing up with his wide eyes and settling back down into a sitting position. He glanced between his master and their new human 'guest'.

Kagome stared at the great youkai silently for a moment before stretching her feet out towards the fire. She pulled her shoes off and then her socks, wiggling her stiff toes as they absorbed the heat. She wasn't sure what else she could do – Sesshoumaru was not the type of demon one could easily start a conversation with.

"Why am I here?" she asked after a long time of awkward silence. Not awkward for him, she was sure, but certainly awkward for herself. She knew the answer to the question already, but it seemed a reasonable way to start _something_.

Jaken opened his mouth to respond angrily, probably to remind her that he had already told her. It was Sesshoumaru who answered first, however.

"You are here because I will it," he answered. There was no hatred in his voice, no impatience, no annoyance. There wasn't anything there. He was simply speaking, his voice cool and calm. "I cannot carry the Tetsusaiga myself, and so, for the time being, you will carry it for me."

"You will never be able to wield it," Kagome blurted out. Her head was still throbbing, her body aching and even her heart felt like it was about to collapse. It occurred to her, vaguely, that maybe she should just shut up and rest. Now was not the time to be trying to talk out her situation with the youkai that had kidnapped her.

"…because it can only be wielded in the protection of a mortal, am I correct?" he asked softly. She wasn't sure if he really required an answer so she simply nodded numbly. He looked thoughtful, his golden eyes gazing into the little flames.

"That does indeed pose something of a problem," he said pensively after a moment. For some reason she thought that that was a funny thing to say. He didn't say it as if it was a joke but she couldn't help staring at him in surprise anyway. Jaken's wide eyes flashed continually between the two of them, though he kept quiet.

"Tell me, girl," Sesshoumaru continued slowly after another long, awkward pause. His golden eyes lifted from the fire, settling on her with the force of a ten ton boulder. "Why do you emit so much power?"

The question floored her. Her eyes widened slightly and she stared at him in silent wonder. For awhile she couldn't figure out what he meant – she had never been considered a particularly strong miko and no youkai had ever before remarked on any sort of 'power' that she might emit. Her mouth opened as she struggled for something to say and then closed again.

_What is he…_?

"Oh dear God!" she cried out suddenly, her hand going to her chest. She fumbled around, pulling out the little necklace with the tiny glass bottle at the end. She stared at in silent horror – the shards were gone.

"How could this happen?" she murmured, oblivious to the stare of the two youkai across the fire. Her hand dropped the necklace, sliding down her side to just above her hip.

_Is it in me? Is it in me again_? she asked herself, horrified. When she had first come to the _Sengoku Jidai_, a demon had ripped the completed Shikon no Tama from her side. If she had gone back in time to _before_ that had happened, then was the jewel once again embedded in her flesh?

"I…that is…" she stuttered, her gaze lifting to Sesshoumaru as her hand clutched her side protectively. Would he try to rip it out of her if he found out what it was? He had never had any interest in the Shikon no Tama anytime in the future, but perhaps everything would be different now.

"It is because I am a miko. Because I am a…very powerful miko." She shuddered as Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed on her, slowly traveling down her body to the hand clutched to her side. She knew then that he knew she was lying. There was no way he would believe such a lame excuse as that. She was startled when his gaze shifted back to the fire and he asked a different question instead.

"How do you know my foolish half-brother when he so clearly does not recognize you?" he asked. Kagome nearly heaved a sigh of relief, her hand slowly moving away from her side and going instead to the Tetsusaiga.

"I…I have met him before, but I don't believe he remembers me," she murmured, lowering her eyes. It wasn't a lie – not really. She _had_ met him before, certainly. 'Before' in the future.

"Unless I am mistaken, he has been pinned to that tree many more years than you have been alive," he answered calmly. It was unnerving, just how calm she was.

"Do not lie to Sesshoumaru-sama, filthy _human_!" Jaken snarled at her, his little hand clenching around his staff threateningly. Kagome glanced to him, hunching her shoulders and flicking her gaze back to Sesshoumaru. His expression had not changed – in fact, he gaze no sign that he had heard Jaken at all.

"I…am not," she murmured, lowering her head and lifting a hand to rub at her temple. The headache was going worse, and her body still ached like it was on fire. At least her feet were warm.

"Then how did you meet my lord's half-brother if he has been nearly dead all this time?" Jaken asked haughtily, his giant eyes narrowing again. The firelight played across his taunt, greenish skin in eerie ways. He was not a threatening figure in the least, but she could not help but cringe.

She was becoming desperate now. There were far too many questions that she could not answer – far too many questions that she could hardly find a reasonable lie to fool them with.

"That is…I…I cannot say," she whispered, her voice breaking half way through the stuttered statement. Even if he would not kill her, there was no reason Sesshoumaru wouldn't at least hurt her, right?

_You only need one arm to carry that sword, correct?_ She could almost hear his cold voice mocking her in her head.

"What manner of clothing do you wear? Where does it come from?" Sesshoumaru interrupted before Jaken had a chance to protest. She was amazed – amazed that he had not threatened her yet, even though she was not adequately answering all his questions. He only stared into the fire, a serene expression on his aristocratic face.

"My cloths?" she asked, glancing down to her body. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, as well as a light winter jacket. The snow in this area was light – mostly blocked by the branches hanging overhead and melted by the fire at its center. Her jacket had slipped off, revealing the tight black shirt with what would be considered strange decorations to the two youkai.

"Ah…these are…these are from my home town," she murmured. That wasn't a lie either. Not really.

"Strange. I have never seen attire like yours before – and I have traveled long and far from these lands," Sesshoumaru pointed out coldly.

"My…my home is _very_ far away. I doubt you…would ever come across it in your travels," she responded, attempting to keep her voice calm and confident. It was hard work.

Sesshoumaru did not respond, and neither did Jaken. The smaller youkai stared at her hatefully from across the fire while the larger stared into the flickering flames in silence. She watched the two of them for a long time, the silence stretching on and on and on. Her body was beginning to ache worse than ever and her stinging eyes were having trouble staying open. She could feel the heavy darkness of the night pressing down at her, caressing her body into a state of unawareness.

_Perhaps when I wake up, this will all be just a dream…_was her last thought before she finally gave in to the shadows and fell into a deep but troubled sleep.

000

"What do you think of her, Sesshoumaru-sama?" his little companion asked as the human eventually drifted off to sleep, her body curling into a ball while one hand clutched her side and the other grasped the Tetsusaiga. He ignored the question, turning his head away from the fire.

"Get to sleep, Jaken. We will leave early in the morning tomorrow. My foolish half-brother is still somewhere in this area," he responded. The little youkai squeaked in acquiescence, fumbling around until he found a comfortable position and closing his eyes. He stayed awake for quite some time however, and it was only until much later that Sesshoumaru heard the steadying of his breath and the soft snores that marked his sleep.

His gaze shifted over to the human then. Her face was contorted into an expression of deeply rooted worry and fear. That was not surprising in the least – she had just been kidnapped by a taiyoukai, after all. But she was a miko, and that made everything a thousand times stranger. Why had she not attempted to purify him before, even though she had claimed that she had extremely strong miko powers? She had, after all, been able to break the seal over InuYasha. She had even been able to take the Tetsusaiga.

There were many strange things about this human that he could not begin to understand. She had a strange depth of knowledge that seemed unnatural to him. He had not smelled the scent of lies on her when she had said she had met InuYasha before, but that he did not remember her. And yet, she was far too young to have ever met him – certainly not while he was conscious, at least. He hadn't smelled the scent of lies when she had told him about where her clothing came from, either.

She _had_ lied when trying to explain the strange power emitted from her body, however. That was another curiosity – exactly what _was_ it that he sensed? It called to him, throbbing in his veins. It had a deceptive voice that spoke to his blood and seemed to promise him power.

"Who exactly _are_ you, little girl?" he murmured to himself. There was no answer forthcoming, however. The heavens were silent on this matter and the moon watched him from its lazy perch in the sky. It didn't matter. He would keep her by him and find out all of these answers and more – even if he had to rip them out of her. For the time being she would carry the Tetsusaiga for him, until he found out some secret to wielding it himself. The barrier his father had put on it was still effective and if the girl was right, it would not transform for him unless he used it to protect the life of a mortal.

_That is something only _you_ would do, father,_ he growled in his mind, his eyes narrowing. _I am not so foolish_.

He flexed his hands, turning away from the fire so that his cheek rested against the soft fur pelt wrapped around his shoulder. He would have all his answers soon enough. Now all he required was a bit of patience.

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So this chapter was something of a filler - obviously because I couldn't simply rush into another dramatic situation so soon after escaping the first one. Besides, you readers need to see how things are/will be working out between Kagome and her new companions as the story goes on. As for the reviewer who asked if the other characters from the series would be involved in this fanfic - read the preview for next chapter and you'll have your first taste of what's too come! I've got big plans. Hope I don't disappoint!

((Please read and review! Your reviews set aflame my passion to write!))

**NEXT CHAPTER  
****Chapter Four: Lady Exterminator**

Sango finds herself caught in a plot far beyond her own understanding when she wanders into a peaceful village, nestled in a valley beneath the Bone Eater's Well. When told of the legend of Kikyo, she visits the God Tree to see the hanyou sealed there with her own eyes – only to find that he is not so bound as she was told.


	4. Lady Exterminator

Just changed the title from "A Twist of Fate" to "The Ties That Bind". Too many people have fanfics called A Twist of Fate so I wanted something more original.

* * *

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -  
****An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter Four: Lady Exterminator  
**000  
InuYasha growled low in his throat as he leaned against a nearby tree. His body felt like it was on fire – a thousand little cuts crisscrossed his figure, tearing through his red clothing and leaving him battered and in pain. Not only that, but his slowly healing eye was making his vision spin and giving him one of the most horrid headaches he had ever had in his life.

"That bastard," he growled, sliding down against the trunk of the tree. He lifted his gaze to the sky, staring up at the fat moon. He could still smell his brother's scent, wafting on the cool night air. He was a ways away – but if InuYasha made a run of it, he could catch up easily.

His skin prickled as the wounds on his hands and arms rested in the thick layer of snow beneath him. There was no way he could chase his brother in this state. The flames might not have harmed him, thanks to the clothing passed down from his father, but that did not change the fact that he had been wounded earlier. He needed a chance to rest – no matter how much he hated the thought. A low growl rumbled in his throat. He would like nothing better than to chase after his damnable half brother and rip his head from his neck. If only he wasn't so tired…

And what about that girl? Who exactly was she? She looked almost exactly like Kikyo, and even smelled like her in a way. All of his senses had screamed that that was the woman who had sealed him – but upon closer inspection he had noticed slight, subtle differences. Was she, perhaps, a relative? He was certain that Kikyo had never had a daughter and her parents were long dead when he had met her. Perhaps it was that wretched Kaede's child – she shared Kikyo's blood, after all.

Why had she stared at him with tear filled eyes like that? He had smelled the sorrow rolling off her in thick waves, as if he had somehow broken her heart. He had never seen anything like that before in his life – and he had no desire to see it again. When he caught up with her and his brother, he would rip _her_ head from her shoulders as well.

"And the Shikon no Tama," he hissed to himself as he settled into a more comfortable position. He had been too busy with his new found freedom to pay much attention, but when he thought about it now he was sure he had sensed its presence around the strange human girl. All the more reason to chase her down – he would have the Jewel of Four Souls that had caused his downfall so many years before. He _would_.

But for the time being, he needed rest…

000

Sango smiled as she entered the village nestled in the rich valley. It was a peaceful place, she could see that already. Children played in the streets, laughing and singing while their mothers gossiped outside their houses and their fathers slipped off into the fields to work the crops. It looked like it had not seen even a lick of trouble for some time now. The people of this village did not have the gaunt faces she had become used to seeing. They smiled at each other with eyes bright from living long and good lives.

"A visitor! A visitor!" the children chanted, running alongside her as she moved down the main road of the city. Like all roads it was made of dirt, beaten flat by the pattering of many feet over time. She smiled at them as they danced around her and then paused as an old woman exited a nearby hut, hobbling over to her.

She was dressed in a miko's attire, her back bent and her thick skin sagging, mottled brown with age spots. It was rare to see people as old as this in these troubled times, and it reinforced her opinion that this was a happy village. She bowed her head as the woman approached.

"Welcome, young traveler," the old miko said, bowing her head as well. "May I ask who you are and what brings you to our humble village?"

"My name is Sango. I am an exterminator from a youkai hunters' village," she responded with a smile, glancing around appraisingly. "Though I see my skills are not needed here. I am on my way to a village beyond this forest that has asked for my assistance with a youkai killing livestock outside their town. I am only on my way through."

"I see," the miko responded, nodding her head in approval. "Then I will not keep you, though if you are in need of a rest or some food, you are welcome to stay for as long as you require."

"Thank you. Could I perhaps trouble you for a small meal and a tree to rest under?" Sango asked politely. It was a nice thing about being a youkai exterminator – people, even in the worst of conditions, were always willing to share their hospitality. Not that she ever took advantage of it, but it was nice to be appreciated for the strenuous job that weighed on her shoulders.

"A tree? I can do you one better. Come, rest in my home and I will make you some stew," the miko said, shooing the children out of the way and motioning for her to follow. She did so, continuing the conversation as they walked.

"May I ask your name?" she asked. The miko smiled slightly as she ushered her into her small, humble hut.

"My name is Kaede. I am the miko of this little village," she responded. Sango glanced at her curiously, her brows rising on her forehead.

"Kaede? Could this be? I heard that the town was in this vicinity but I never thought…are you, perhaps, the miko Kikyo's younger sister?" She didn't look so young now, but that was to be expected. The famous miko Kikyo had died many years ago – long before she was even born.

"That I am, Sango-san. May I ask how you know of me?" she asked as she settled Sango down on a little mat on the floor before turning to stoop over a large iron pot.

"As I said, I am from an exterminators' village. My father told me that we entrusted the ancient Shikon no Tama to a miko named Kikyo many years ago," she said. She lowered her voice as she continued. "I hear that she died in a battle with a youkai, fighting over the jewel. I am very sorry for your loss."

The miko glanced up at her, her fleshy lips pulling back into a smile. She shook her head, shifting her gaze back to the pot where stew was already bubbling over a small fire beneath. "You need not feel sorry on my account, young exterminator. That was many long years ago, though it is a sad story indeed. She died at the hands of a hanyou who was very close to her heart."

"A hanyou? I never heard that. How strange. It is very rare to see half-human half-youkai's these days," Sango mused thoughtfully. The miko called Kaede was smiling again, this time a little sorrowfully.

"You can see him if you'd like."

"Hm? He still lives?" she asked with a startled expression. The old miko laughed, turning to pick up a small clay bowl resting against the edge of the wall.

"Lives? I do not believe that is the word for it, truly. He is pinned to the God Tree on the hill over this village, his consciousness sealed away."

"Ah, I see. Was that Kikyo's doing? She must have been a strong miko indeed," Sango said, bowing her head respectfully as the older woman handed her the small bowl filled to the brim with chunky stew.

"She certainly was. And beautiful and intelligent as well. It is a pity that she had to die so early," Kaede murmured. "But you needn't worry yourself over that old tale. Eat now, and if you so desire I will take you to see the hanyou that killed her before you must be off. It is not a long trip."

"I think I will take you up on that offer and then leave right after. I do not believe the villagers that have called me are in any danger as of yet, and waiting an hour or so longer will do them no harm." The miko nodded with a smile, hunkering to her feet and exiting the small room to linger outside with the other villagers.

000

Sango gazed around at her surroundings as the old miko led her up the old dirt pathway into the forest. It was a pretty place – birds chirped among the branches and the sun filtered in though the branches while a slight breeze stirred her long hair behind her. She wished that more towns were like this, graced with as much peace as this. It was unfortunate that her village was busy with so many calls. Youkai were constantly plaguing the countryside.

It did not take long for the two of them to reach the top of the hill. Kaede led her through a small barrier of brambles, around to the side of a towering God Tree that Sango had spotted even from the bottom of the hill. The old woman paused there, her gaze on the tree.

Sango could not see her expression from behind, but she could sense that something was wrong. She glanced to the tree – she could see that large sections of its roots had been torn off, and recently too. She frowned, her body suddenly tense as she studied their surroundings more closely this time.

"How can this be! No one can break the seal but my sister!" the old miko cried. She lurched forward to the tree, running her bony fingers over the bark in wonder, as if she thought it might be nothing but an illusion.

"So, if I understand the situation correctly, an evil hanyou with a grudge has escaped his confines and is now running around in the area somewhere?"

"I was just here yesterday morning! How could this have happened?" The miko turned around, her haggard face taunt with horror and surprise. Sango stepped forward, resting a hand on the old woman's shoulder.

"Calm down. You are lucky I am here – I will be rid of this hanyou for you."

"I do not know about that…he is not so weak as many of the youkai that roam the countryside," the old miko said, her voice truly apprehensive. Sango was not worried, however. She had faced many powerful youkai in her lifetime – and this was just a hanyou, after all.

"You needn't worry, Kaede-san. I have fought many youkai befo – " She did not have a chance to finish the sentence. Screams from below interrupted her and as she whirled around she was stunned to see smoke rising from the village below.

"It cannot be!" the old miko hissed in horror. She pushed past Sango, stumbling through the brambles and down the pathway back towards the village. Sango cast her gaze around quickly before following after her, picking up the pace and dashing down the hill. She must hurry if she hoped to save as many lives as possible. Hopefully no one had died in the fire…yet.

As the two of them tumbled into the village they were horrified to see many of the huts nothing but flaming debris, piled on the ground. Villagers ran every direction, screaming mindlessly as they herded wailing children in front of them. Some of the more hardy men had paused in the road, farm tools in their hands as they turned to face the adversary that assailed their helpless village. Sango pushed back at them, yelling for them to escape while they could – she would take care of the youkai.

She unstrapped the giant boomerang that leaned against her back, readying it in her hands.

"Come out, youkai! I'll take you on!"

A shadowy figure appeared in the hazy smog of the fires. She frowned, crouching down slightly and preparing her weapon. The hanyou stepped out of the smoke, perched atop the roof of one of the few remaining huts and glaring down at her with gleaming gold eyes. His long white hair fell around the shoulders of his glaringly red outfit, two tiny ears perched atop his head. He regarded her with arrogance, a smirk pulling on the edges of his lips.

"You? What can _you_ do, human?" he snarled at her. He leapt nimbly from the rooftop, landing before her and revealing his fangs in a mocking sneer.

"You shall see!" she cried back, pulling her arm back and lurching forward. The giant boomerang – her beloved Hiraikotsu – slipped from her fingers, whistling through the air with surprising speed and force straight towards the hanyou.

Her weapon slammed into the ground, sending giant clods of dirt into the air – but no hanyou limb. The beast lunged into the air at the last minute and was now plummeting straight towards her, claws gleaming in the morning sunlight. She jumped out of the way, letting out a startled cry as the hanyou slammed into the ground. He would have cut her clean in half if she had not gotten out of the way.

_This one is strong_! she thought, rolling over the ground towards her Hiraikotsu. She wrapped her hand around the cloth, jerking it out of the new hole in the ground it had created.

"C'mon, _human_!" Sango whirled around just in time, putting the Hiraikotsu in between her and the attacking hanyou. Even with the shield, she found herself flying backwards under the force of the blow.

"Sango-san!" Sango grimaced as she opened her eyes. She could hardly see anything through the glare of the fires and the thick veil of smoke. The old miko was standing in the distance, a necklace of beads in her bony hands. The youkai turned slightly to stare at the old woman, one brow arched.

"Come to join your friend in hell?" he snarled in laughter. Sango scrambled to her feet, desperate to get up in time to stop the hanyou from killing the old miko. The woman lifted her hands, tossing the beads with surprising strength and accuracy. The beads fell over the hanyou's head and settled around his neck. He paused for a moment, his claws curling around the necklace and a puzzled expression touching his face. He tried to pull it off, growling in frustration.

"They are the Beads of Subjugation!" cried the old miko. "Say a prayer spell and he will fall before you!" Sango turned her gaze back on the youkai – he was oblivious to the two of them now, tugging on the beads in helpless frustration. After a moment he turned on the old woman, lunging forward with claws ready.

"Take these off you old witch!" he snarled. Sango took a step forward, her heart freezing in her chest.

"HALT!" she screamed at the top of her lunges.

She was stunned when, in midair, the hanyou suddenly plunged to the ground in a plume of dirt.

000

The villagers milled around outside the village, their faces fallen as they watched the smoldering ashes of their homes. Sango's heart went out to them, but there was nothing more she could do. She stood beside the old miko who was shaking her head at the ruins. It was a devastating sight – the village had been so beautiful and peaceful only a couple hours before.

"We should be thankful that it was not any worse than this," the old miko murmured softly. "No one was killed in the incident – the homes can be rebuilt." Sango wasn't so sure about how well things would go for them, however. The morning had been bright and beautiful, but it was still the middle of winter and it was bound to begin heavily snowing soon. Probably over the cold night. She glanced over to the hanyou that crouched a little distance away from them, growling at every villager that passed by. He did not make a move, however. He had learned his lesson when the Beads of Subjugation had first been put around his neck.

"We should be rid of him now," Sango said, glancing back to the old miko. "He will only cause more trouble in the future."

Kaede shook her head slowly, though her gaze did not shift over to the hanyou. "No, not yet. I have questions to ask him. I must know how he escaped from the tree – I must know who set him free." Sango narrowed her eyes slightly. She did not like the idea of leaving the hanyou alive any longer than absolutely necessary. The old miko had spoken to InuYasha just after the fight, but had not been able to go into any detail until now. Sango wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to ask, nor why it was so important.

The miko turned slowly. She looked tired, her face fallen in dismay and her old limbs creaking and she moved. She made her way over to the hanyou, Sango following behind.

The hanyou regarded them with hateful gold eyes as they approached, his lips curling back in a snarl that revealed his fangs. The miko stopped a few feet in front of him, her expression one of sorrow as she looked upon his contorted face.

"InuYasha," she murmured.

"What do _you_ want, old witch?" he growled at her. The old woman sighed softly.

"You were supposed to stay sealed. How…how were you released?" Sango moved up to stand beside the miko, resting a steadying hand on her shoulder. She looked like she might collapse from exhaustion at any moment. The hanyou regarded her suspiciously.

"Shouldn't you know?" he growled. "I assume she was your relative. I came to the village in search of her, but she was not here!" The miko looked surprised and Sango glanced between the two, wondering what they were talking about.

"A relative? My last relative died 50 years ago. I have had no other family but Kikyo for a very long time, and you saw fit to end _that_." InuYasha growled at her, drawing back slightly and hissing.

"She looked _exactly_ like Kikyo! You lie to me if you say she is not your relative – why else would she be in this area, with an appearance so similar to your sister?" he snarled impatiently. The old woman looked more shaken than seemed healthy.

"I have no relative," Kaede repeated, her voice strained.

"Feh. You are senile, old witch. She looked exactly like your sister – they could have been twins. Besides that, she carried the Shikon no Tama with her. I am sure of it."

The old miko reeled and would have fallen if Sango had not caught her and supported her. She turned her eyes on the hanyou, stunned herself.

"The Shikon no Tama? How is that possible – I heard that it was burned along with the remains of the miko, Kikyo!"

"I do not know anything about that," the hanyou growled sullenly, averting his gaze. "But she _did_ have it."

"This is not possible…"

"Kaede-san, come now. You should rest," Sango murmured, pulling the miko away. She did not resist – perhaps she was not strong enough to resist.

She led the old miko away to a tree, resting her in the shade.

"Kaede-san, are you alright?" she asked softly, leaning over the frail figure of the old woman. The miko lifted her gaze to Sango's face and then clutched at her arm.

"Please, Sango-san…can you help me?" Sango blinked, somewhat flustered by the sudden and unexpected request. What more could she do?

"I…yes, of course. Anything," she said after a moment. The miko's grip on her arm tightened.

"Please, I know that you have much business to do in other villages – but this is of the utmost importance! Please, take InuYasha with you! Take him, and search out the girl who looks so much like my sister and carries the Shikon no Tama with her! This is of the utmost importance, Sango-san, so _please_, do this for me!"

"I…take _him_ with _me_?" Sango stuttered. It did not seem like much of a good idea to her. She was a youkai exterminator – how could she possible walk into villages promising to rid them of their troubles while trailing a hanyou along behind her?

"_Please_," the miko hissed. "Find the girl he speaks of. The Shikon no Tama carries powers beyond any you can possible imagine. I am sure you have heard of it from your father back in your village. You know of at least some of its dangers, right? Please! Find her and bring her here to me. I must see her for myself!"

"I…"

"_Please_!"

"Yes, alright. I will," Sango acquiesced. There was little she could do – the miko was desperate for her help. Besides, if half the legends about the Shikon no Tama were true, then she was right and this _was_ a mission of the utmost importance. But still…if the hanyou was lying, then she would be taken away from important business elsewhere, and many people could die. She would have to send word to her father back in the village.

"Thank you, Sango-san. I will send a villager to your town with a message. Write a letter, if you will," said the miko, sinking back against the tree with a soft sigh of relief. Sango stood over her for another moment before shaking her head slightly and turning away. Her gaze fell on the hanyou again – he continued to growl at anyone who passed anywhere near him, or so much as glanced in his direction. Then she glanced to the village – a heap of ashes and debris that still smoldered in the morning sunlight.

_He better not be lying about this_, she thought. Otherwise she would not hesitate a moment to end his life.

000000000000000000000000000000000

I'm not actually sure whether the Prayer-Beads can be used by anyone besides a strong miko - I couldn't find any information on the matter anywhere. Therefore, for the sake of this fanfiction, the Prayer-Beads will be usable by people other than mikos (Sango, in this case).

As for the question of whether Kikyo will be in this story, I can't say _too _much about that. I will say that I do plan to use her, but not in the beginning of the story (so probably not any time soon). I haven't quite decided how and when to bring her in yet, though I do know some of the things she'll be doing in the story.

Also, quick question - so PLEASE send me a review with your answer. I've written a couple chapters ahead of this one, though I don't post them yet so that if I happen to fall behind, I'll still have things to put up over time. I just finished chapter eight yesterday (my favorite chapter yet) but it brought up a question for me. Does anyone think that I should make "new" main characters. As in create my own personal characters to join the group that weren't originally in the manga/anime. I'm rather against doing that, beause I like the idea that all the old friends band together through a 'twist of fate'. I don't mind creating minor characters, like demons they happen by or random villagers they run in to, but does anyone believe I should make a _main _character of my own creation to use in the story? PLEASE REVIEW WITH YOUR ANSWER!

((I look forward to your reviews! They're my weapons against the creatures that lurk beneath my bed and gurgle in the night!))

**NEXT CHAPTER  
****Chapter Five: Yura of the Hair**

Kagome finds herself facing an enemy all too familiar when Yura of the Hair, sensing the Shikon no Tama buried in her flesh, comes to take it for herself.


	5. Yura of the Hair

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -  
****An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter Five: Yura of the Hair  
**000  
Kagome glanced to the sky with a slight frown as a thin smudge of black touched the horizon. The branches half obscured it as she walked beneath their limbs, but she could still see it unmistakably painted against the blue backdrop. Jaken waddled a couple steps ahead of her, Sesshoumaru even farther ahead, though still in sight. There was no hope of escaping under the circumstances. Besides, it seemed like it was rather far off, so she wouldn't have been able to find its source either way.

A sinking feeling in her chest gave her an ominous feeling. That was the direction in which Kaede's village lay – and with InuYasha roaming free, that could mean all sorts of trouble.

_But Kaede has the Prayer-Beads_, Kagome reassured herself, shaking her head slightly and clutching tightly at the Tetsusaiga. Her bag had been abandoned somewhere near the Bone Eater's Well, leaving her with nothing but the clothes on her back and the useless Tetsusaiga. Sesshoumaru had ignored her pleas to go back to the Well that morning, however, and she had no choice but to tag along after him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she called tentatively, quickening her pace so she came almost inline with Jaken. The great youkai did not pause, nor glance her way. He did not even respond to her, so she continued without waiting.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, there seems to be some trouble behind us. There is smoke on the horizon." She didn't really believe that he would turn around to go back and see what the fire was – but it was her only hope. It was in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well, and her only chance to escape. The taiyoukai paused, turning his head towards the smear of black with a faint frown. He continued walking again within the moment, Jaken waddling along behind him while peering up curiously at the sky.

"I am sure it is my brother's doing. He will follow soon enough," Sesshoumaru responded coolly. That did not make Kagome feel any better in the least – if it really was InuYasha's doing, then she was sure it was Kaede's village that was being attacked. She stared worriedly at the sky, her bottom lip trembling slightly.

"Hurry up, human," cawed the tiny youkai. "And be quiet. You disturb my lord with your foolishness." Kagome glanced down to Jaken with a slight frown but did not respond – it was best not to push things when Sesshoumaru was around. One could never know when he would turn on them in irritation. They were silent for a long time. Kagome watched as the spire of smoke disappeared, hidden under the branches of the trees around them as they got farther and farther away.

"Jaken-san," she murmured, addressing Jaken this time. Perhaps he would be more amiable if she did not bother Sesshoumaru-sama and applied her questions to him instead. The little youkai grumbled irritably, glancing over his tiny shoulder at her.

"What is it, _human_?"

"Jaken-san, where are we going?" she asked. Both she and Jaken were rather startled when Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, turning to face them with narrow golden eyes and a frown on his face. Had she really gone too far, just be asking Jaken that one little question? She took a quick step back, clutching at the Tetsusaiga. She didn't have her bow with her, and didn't really trust any of her other miko powers. She had purified youkai with just her bare hands before, but never by her own choice. It was always something that happened randomly – and even if she could pull it off, she wasn't sure how useful it would be against a powerful taiyoukai such as Sesshoumaru.

"There is a stream ahead. You two – go to it and wait for me there," he said suddenly, his eyes settling heavily on Kagome for a moment before he moved towards the trees. Jaken squawked in surprise, swiveling his staff around nervously.

"Where are you going, Sesshoumaru-sama?" he asked weakly. The taiyoukai paused on the edge of the pathway, glancing back at them.

"A creature follows us – and it is not my brother. Go to the stream and wait for me." With that he disappeared among the trees, as silent as a ghost. Jaken blinked after him, startled.

"A creature? I haven't sensed anything…though now that I think about it…" he murmured. Kagome stared around at the trees nervously – more nervous because she did not know where Sesshoumaru was than because there was some strange creature stalking them. At least if he was in plain sight she would know where he would attack from, if he chose to attack at all.

"C'mon," she murmured to the little youkai, moving past him. "He said there's a stream up ahead. Let's go." Jaken stared up at her sullenly, wobbling up until he overtook her again. He apparently had too much pride to allow a human to go before him. If she wasn't so nervous she might have smiled a little at the absurdity of it all.

They hurried down the pathway, both of them anxious to get to the stream and wait for Sesshoumaru. It did not take them long to find it – the path literally ran straight through it some ways ahead. The thickness of the trees around them broke up as they came to the stream, the pathway widening and little clumps of green grass greeting them. Chunks of ice and snow floated among the rocks of the babbling stream, flowing downwards under the pull of the water. It was a pleasant place, and she wondered why she had never come across it in her travels before.

"Do you think he'll be long?" she asked, glancing nervously at the trees. Jaken followed her gaze before shrugging, moving over to a rock and plopping down. His two headed staff rested in its usual place against his shoulder, the grizzled old man's head grinning at her even though its eyes were closed. It was an uncanny thing and she tried to avoid looking at it as much as possible.

She moved over to a rock that jutted out over the little stream, settling down in a comfortable position to wait. She blinked as her eyes caught sight of something. Her eyes squinted as she tried to focus on it. What was it?

_A tiny thread? No…that's_…

"Well, well, well, here you are!" came a high pitched, cheerful voice from among the trees. Jaken started, whirling around and Kagome stiffened, leaning back as she finally recognized what it was she was looking at.

"Hair!" she gasped.

"Yura of the Hair, to be exact," came the familiar voice. _God_, it had been so long since she had faced this demon. She was one of her first adversaries, besides the centipede and the crow. She lifted her gaze from the thin strand of hair to the trees. She looked exactly as Kagome remembered her, her tiny face smiling innocently at her prey.

"Don't come any closer, youkai!" Jaken shouted as he fumbled to his feet, slamming the tip of his staff onto the rock. "If you value your life, you will leave now!"

"Leave?" laughed Yura of the Hair. That was also familiar to her – that laugh. All Kagome could think was that she wished she had her bow. She could defend herself, at least a little, if only she had her bow. "I think not! Not with this delicious looking girl here, radiating so much power! You want it all for yourself, don't you, little youkai? How greedy you are!" she cackled. Jaken glanced to Kagome through narrowed eyes. She wondered if he sensed it too, the Shikon no Tama that rested in her flesh.

"Come now, little girl! Give me your power!" In a flash too fast for her eyes to follow, a thousand strands of hair flew from Yura's fingers. Kagome cringed, falling backwards with a shout of fright. She was surprised when, a moment later, she opened her eyes and found that she was not wounded at all.

Sesshoumaru stood over her, his arm outstretched and much of the hair tangled around it. She could not see his face, but it did not look like he was in much pain. He still stood straight and tall, and the arm wrapped around with Yura's hair did not tremble. Jaken stumbled down from his rock, fumbling over to his master.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! You're back!"

"La? 'Sesshoumaru-sama'?" Yura of the Hair asked curiously, her fingers flexing as she pulled taunt on the hair that surrounded Sesshoumaru's arm. He resisted, giving Kagome time to push herself back up to her feet. "My, my! Your hair – it's quite pretty!" she cried joyously. "I'll take it all for myself!" She hopped lightly from the tree, more hair flying from her fingers. She landed on a strand lightly, holding herself up on the web. Kagome vaguely wondered if Sesshoumaru or Jaken could see the threads – as well as she could remember, InuYasha had not been able to see the hair at all when he fought her.

"She can fly?" Jaken asked in a somewhat awed voice. That confirmed Kagome's worst fears – they could not see the threads.

"No!" she said suddenly. While she did not much care for either Sesshoumaru or Jaken, they were the only ones standing in the way of Yura getting what she wanted. "It is hair! She is standing on threads of hair!"

"La?" Yura cocked her head at Kagome curiously. "You can see it – my web of hair?" Sesshoumaru's head turned slightly to peer at her over his shoulder with a slightly arched brow. He looked just as calm as always. That was both unsettling and reassuring at the same time.

With a rough jerk of his arm, Yura's hair snapped away. She looked startled at that, before a sullen frown pursed her lips.

"How unfair! You're ruining my hair!" she cried.

"Silence, youkai! This is Sesshoumaru-sama you face! He will not stand for your mindless banter!" Jaken cawed bravely. When she turned her eyes on him, however, he stumbled back a step. Kagome caught him with a hand before he tumbled off the rock all together. He squawked, pulling away from her touch and glowering at her furiously.

"You can see what she uses to fight with, human?" Sesshoumaru asked suddenly, his gaze turning back to the pouting Yura. Kagome took a deep gulp of breath.

"Yes. Yes, I can see it." She racked her brains, trying to remember exactly how InuYasha had defeated her before.

"Well, come along now then! Let's play, Sesshoumaru-_sama_!" she laughed, lunging forward suddenly as thin strands of nearly invisible hair flied all around her.

"Out of the way!" Sesshoumaru called to the two of them before leaping forward to meet with the cheerful youkai in the air. His poisoned claws bit into her shoulder while her hair curled around his limbs, cutting through his haori and into the white flesh below. She looked startled as she fell back, her skin sizzling at the joint where he had cut her, but her wide eyes expressed no pain. Sesshoumaru landed lightly on a small rock in the center of the stream, looking up at Yura of the Hair as she alighted on another strand of hair.

Jaken and Kagome both scrambled off the rocks and into the cover of the trees. Kagome leaned against the trunk of the closest tree, turning her wide brown eyes on Yura of the Hair. _Why_ was she having so much trouble remembering how they had defeated this youkai? It had been so many years, and they had faced so very _many_ youkai after her. She hardly seemed important in her memories, and thus their battle against her was hazy in her own mind.

"Ooooh, how cruel!" the youkai cried, one hand going to her fizzling shoulder. "Didn't you learn _any_ manners when you were younger? You should never hit a girl!"

"Foolishness," growled Sesshoumaru, cracking his knuckles and gazing up at her through narrowed eyes. He did not show it, but she assumed that he must have been rather surprised by her reaction to the festering wound in her shoulder. She seemed to recall something similar to this in her _other_ battle against Yura of the Hair – and yet she was having a great deal of trouble remembering exactly what it was.

"I will take great joy in stealing your hair from you!" the girl laughed. "And taking that strange power from that girl of yours!" She lurched forward again, this time a sword flying from the shadows, suspended from a string of hair.

"You will have neither my hair nor the girl," growled Sesshoumaru, once again leaping into the air to meet her attack head on. He dodged the sword easily but found himself caught up in the web of hair. He thrashed, cutting through them as Yura danced around his helpless figure. He dropped to the ground, landing on another rock and upturning his face to the troublesome youkai that assailed him.

"I do not have time for your pathetic games," he growled. His hands whipped out, thin strands of whip like light flashing in every direction. Yura let out a cry as her web of hair began to collapse around her. She flipped backwards, landing on a nearby tree branch.

"La?" she cried indignantly. "You! You will pay for this!"

And then Kagome remembered.

"The comb!" she cried out, stumbling from the cover of the trees. Jaken squawked behind her and Sesshoumaru half turned to glance her way.

"You cannot harm her body because it does not contain her soul! She has a comb! Break the comb!" Yura of the Hair turned livid eyes on Kagome, a stunned expression flashing across her face.

"_You_," she snarled, flinging a hand out. Kagome fell backwards as a thousand tiny strands of hair bit into her skin, letting out a cry of pain. Sesshoumaru leaped into the air again, his clawed fingers clamping around Yura's throat and pulling her backwards.

Kagome cringed as the air around her erupted into flames. The strands of hair singed in the air, falling away and setting her free. She turned slightly to gape at Jaken, his two headed staff held out in front of him and the old man's mouth agape.

"Hurry up and get out of the way, human!" he cawed at her. She was rather stunned that she had just been rescued by the ugly little youkai, but she thought that was good advice. She could not force herself to her feet, however. The threads of hair had cut her deeply all across her limbs. She crawled forward on hands and knees, hiding once again under the cover of the trees. Jaken scrambled towards her, peering down at her through narrowed eyes.

"Stupid human, look what you did!" he said, waving to her wounds. She smiled at him weakly, shifting her attention back to the battle at hand.

Sesshoumaru was pushing Yura of the Hair backwards, his claws ripping into her throat. She struggled against him, her fingers dancing along the threads of her hair, playing puppet. The oni sword she owned swung through the air, attempting to stab Sesshoumaru through the back and the side. She was thankful for his breastplate – he was able to dodge some of the attacks, but others ricocheted off the side of his armor.

"Where is the comb, human?" Jaken asked urgently. "I see no comb! Do you lie?" The accusation in his voice was deep and she glanced back to his face with a frown, shaking her head.

"I…I do not know. She should have it with her, or somewhere nearby at least." Yura of the Hair wore stunningly little clothing – there was no way she would be able to hide her comb anywhere on her person.

"Then we must find it," Jaken said. She was stunned by how decisive he was – when she had seen him 'before' in the future, he had always been bumbling around after Sesshoumaru, hardly ever doing anything productive. Though he had come up with a couple semi-clever schemes to try and steal the Tetsusaiga out from under InuYasha's nose.

Using the tree for support, Kagome slowly pulled herself to her feet with a grimace. Blood dribbled down her legs and arms from the cuts where the hair had bit deep. She shot one last glance Sesshoumaru's way – he was still struggling with Yura of the Hair, just barely avoiding the reach of the oni sword. Jaken scurried by across the stream, Kagome following more slowly. She could feel Sesshoumaru's gaze burning into her back but when she glanced up as she moved underneath them, he was staring intently at Yura, his claws buried deep in her throat.

_What a strange man he is_, she thought as she crossed the stream, returning under the protection of the trees. She could just make out Jaken's receding form – he was small and squat but surprisingly quick on his feet when he needed to be. She followed slowly, leaning on the trees around her when she could, her gaze searching for any sign of Yura's comb – or a trail that might lead to it.

"Jaken!" she called out after a moment. "Jaken!" The youkai poked his head from around a tree, frowning at her.

"What is it human? Hurry up!"

"No, it's this way!" she motioned. Jaken obviously couldn't see the signs, but she could clearly make out a thin trail of hair meandering off into the forest. "Follow me!"

She plunged in the forest, not bothering to glance back to see if Jaken followed. The Tetsusaiga was clutched tightly to her chest as she stumbled on branches and brambles. The cuts in her legs and arms felt like they were on fire but she pushed on valiantly. The sooner this battle was over, the better.

She could hear the sound of Jaken tripping over fallen branches behind her – as well as the biting voice of Yura of the Hair, though she could not make out what she was saying. The trail of hair winded forward between the trees – on and on and on.

"Stupid human, where are you leading – " Jaken's tiny body tumbled into hers as she stopped unexpectedly. He rubbed his nose, pulling back.

"What are you…?"

"Here we are," Kagome said, pointing. Jaken waddled around her side, his mouth falling open. Before them was a pile of skulls – a _mountain_ of skulls – each of them with a head of greasy hair that snaked along the ground and through the air, twining in the branches above.

"The comb. It's in here somewhere."

"In _here_?" the little youkai asked incredulously. "How will we ever find it?"

"Don't worry. It'll be in the center somewhere." She lurched forward, a sharp pain jolting up her spine. She ignored it, moving towards the pile of skulls.

_To think that I'd be doing this. All those years ago, before I first came to the Sengoku Jidai, I would never have had the courage to dig through a pile of skulls,_ she thought as she dug her fingers into the skulls, tossing one after another aside. The little youkai, after a pause, followed her lead, setting his two headed staff aside.

It was hard to dig through the skulls with the Tetsusaiga clutched to her chest, but she was unwilling to let it go. She felt salty sweat stinging in her wounds, bits of bones rubbing raw her skin. She ignored all of it – every last shooting pain that plagued her body. Sesshoumaru was fighting an undefeatable enemy around the stream, most certainly depending on them. She didn't know why that made her want to fight so furiously – perhaps because she knew she would die if she didn't. All she knew was that she _must_ find the comb.

"Here!" Jaken squawked. Kagome whirled around as the little youkai lifted a skull that had threads of hair coming out of its eyes and mouth.

"Yes, that's it! Break it, the comb is inside!" The little youkai scrambled off the hill of skulls picking up his staff and slamming the tip down onto the top of the skull. It cracked, falling apart.

And there it was… The delicately designed comb shimmered slightly as the fragments of bones collapsed around it. Jaken lifted his staff again, slamming it down on the comb this time.

"It didn't break!" he cawed, hitting it again and then another time as well. Kagome scrambled down off the mountain, skulls bouncing all around her. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember every last detail of her former battle with Yura of the Hair.

_An arrow…I destroyed it with one of my arrows, didn't I_? But she didn't have an arrow. Perhaps that didn't matter though. She was pretty sure that it was the miko powers that mattered, not the arrow.

"Here, give it to me," she called. Jaken looked at her dubiously but tossed the comb her way. She caught it in her hands, once again squeezing her eyes shut as she desperately tried to concentrate.

_I've done this and more before_, she told herself. _When I first came to the Sengoku Jidai, I fried that centipede's arm off when it attacked me in the Well…this is nothing. All I need to do is break the comb_! She told herself to concentrate, over and over and over again. She could here Jaken's voice in the background, admonishing her for being slow and stupid. She tried to tune it out, tried to focus on nothing but the power she knew existed deep inside of her. She tried…she tried…she tried…

000

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat as the oni sword danced over his breastplate again. It was getting dangerously hard to avoid it with the web of hair thickening all around him, constraining his movements. He was a taiyoukai, but that did not mean he was invincible. Jaken and the human had passed below him not long ago – he believed that they knew a way to destroy his enemy but he could not help but wonder what was taking them so long. His claws, lodged in her throat, did not seem to cause her even a little pain. She sneered at him, her fingers dancing across the hair strands he could not see.

_Hurry_! he commanded in his mind, as if the word would force Jaken to move faster. Perhaps the human had been lying when she spoke of the comb. He had to admit that it must be true, however. Yura of the Hair did not seem bothered at all by the fact that his poisoned claws were lodged in her wind pipe.

And then, suddenly and without warning, it was over. Her eyes widened in horror and surprise, a soft 'ah' escaping her lips. She slid backwards off his claws, her hands going limp and the oni sword dropping with a _plop_ into the stream below. He watched as her flesh disintegrated before him, fading away in unsettling silence, as if she had never existed in the first place.

He stood in silence on the rock in the center of the stream, watching as her body faded away. It seemed that the human had not lied at all, and that she and Jaken had been successful in finding and destroying the comb she spoke of. What a strange woman she was – her depth of knowledge seemed endless.

_Who exactly are you, girl_? he asked himself, turning his gaze towards the forest. He could sense her – or more, sense the throbbing of whatever power she held in her flesh. It called to him, just as it had called to this youkai.

"Just who…are you?" Once again, there were no answers forthcoming.

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I must say, I'm really enjoying writing this fanfic. I'm generally a person who doesn't enjoy fanfics, but this story was just begging to be written. In truth, I feel like I'm learning about the characters as I write about them - like they already exist, and I'm just writing what their characters tell me to write. Like I said, I'm a few chapters ahead (finished chapter ten) and there are some really interesting things going on that I'm sure you'll all enjoy.

As for adding a new main character, I don't think I'll be doing so. I really didn't want to do so in the beginning, but we'll see. In the later chapters I introduce a character who _could_ become a main character, depending on how I use her. When I get that chapter posted I'll ask again and see what you think of her. So her fate will depend on you, I think!

Anyway, for the person who asked, yes Shippo will be brought into this story. I don't think he'll be travelling with Kagome or Sesshoumaru though, because that'd be rather awkward. All of the old characters from the manga/anime will be used in this fanfic in some way or another. "The Ties That Bind" is a story about how fate intertwines all of these characters together - about how no matter how things change, they will all end up coming together at some point, in some way. So obviously, with that kind of theme, I _have_ to bring all the old characters in!

Anyway, hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Even more Sesshoumaru to enjoy in the next chapter!

((Looking forward to more of your reviews! Reviews for me are like piles of presents on Christmas morning! You won't let me have a lonely Christmas without any presents, will you?))

**NEXT CHAPTER  
****Chapter Six: Woman of Mysteries**

Sesshoumaru wonders over the strangeness of his new human companion as the answers to his many questions continue to elude him.


	6. Woman of Mysteries

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -  
****An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter Six: Woman of Mysteries  
**000  
Jaken gawked as the human girl snapped the comb in half, a faltering pink light twining between her fingers. _She did it_! he thought, stunned. The human girl had done it! He was even more surprised, however, when her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped against the mountain of skulls behind her, unconscious.

"Oh…oh no!" he cried, stumbling to his feet and staring around. "Oh! Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!" he cried, scrambling into the forest back towards the stream. If the girl died, he would most likely be blamed for it.

He gulped, his eyes going wide. "Sesshoooooumaru-samaaaa!"

000

Sango adjusted the strap to her Hiraikotsu, glancing over her shoulder at the sullen hanyou. He tugged on his necklace irritably, glowering at her as she met his gaze. She rolled her eyes slightly, shaking her head and turning away.

"Hurry up now. The forest is big and it'll take awhile to find them, I'm sure," she said, motioning to him and setting off along the path into the forest. The other villagers watched them go silently. No one waved their goodbyes and no laughing children danced at her heels. The fire that had burned down the town had burned their happiness along with it.

_And it is all his fault. It is all InuYasha's fault,_ she thought darkly. There was nothing she could do about it now, however. Kaede insisted that she could not kill him – and besides, his sensitive nose would lead her to the girl. He said he could smell his 'brother', if not the girl, and that his brother had taken the girl away with him.

She was determined to find the girl as quickly as possible and be done with the whole affair. She had business to deal with in the other towns – though the note she had sent to her father would explain her situation, and they would send another warrior off to the village that had already hired her skills. She still felt bad about abandoning the job, but it seemed there was nothing she could do about it. She must chase down this girl with her Shikon no Tama – and then when that was done, she could end the hateful hanyou's life.

She would enjoy that.

000

Sesshoumaru followed with a frown as Jaken lead him through the forest hurriedly. They came to a small clearing, the first thing he noticed being a large and disturbing pile of human skulls. He cocked his head to the side with curiously before his golden gaze wandered down to rest on the collapsed figure of the human girl. Her body was rubbed raw, crisscrossed with a thousand deep cuts. Blood smeared over her glossy white skin and her hair hung messily over her unconscious face. She looked worn and battered and for a moment his heart stopped in his chest. He did not know the limits of humans, and could not tell if these wounds would be fatal to her.

Her chest rose shallowly as she took a breath and he found his heart beating again. He moved forward, leaning down next to her. He glanced to her hands, a hint of surprise in his eyes as he noted one half of a comb in one hand, the other in the other hand.

_So she is the one who defeated the youkai_, he pondered. It was, for some reason, not all that surprising to him. He leaned down, scooping up her frail body in his arms and turning away – the bits of comb slipping from her limp hands and clattering powerlessly to the ground. Jaken hovered at his heels, his wide eyes staring up at him in silent wonder. Sesshoumaru ignored him, stepping over the branches and brambles lightly as he led the way back to the stream.

_It seems we won't be getting anywhere today_, he thought with a hint of irritation. He certainly wasn't going to carry her all the way across the countryside – he didn't particularly enjoy carrying her even the short distance to the stream. There was no helping that though, and when they finally reached it he set her down carefully on a rock. He turned to Jaken then, who followed behind faithfully.

"When she awakes, tell her to wash herself," he commanded. He leaned down, plucking from the waters the oni sword Yura of the Hair had carried with her. He stared at it appraisingly for a moment before tossing it away, watching as the blade drifted downstream. He turned, stepping towards the forest again.

"Tell her to wash herself. And make a fire. I will bring back food later tonight." Jaken dropped into a clumsy bow, squawking that he would do so. Sesshoumaru turned away, satisfied, and disappeared into the forest.

000

When Kagome finally awoke the sun was still high in the sky but slowly beginning its decent towards the opposite horizon. Despite the fact that the day was bright, a fire flickered nearby and the little youkai she traveled with prodded it absently with the tip of his staff. She watched him silently for a moment, her eyes only half open, before she pushed herself up onto her elbows. Once again her entire body ached as if she had just been beaten to a pulp – not only because she had just slept on the hard surface of a rock, but the many wounds that still decorated her body were probably beginning to get infected.

The little youkai glanced her way as she stirred and she was surprised to see a relieved expression flash across his face. She grimaced, hunching her shoulders and squeezing her eyes shut as a wave of pain flooded over her. Jaken scrambled to his feet at this, rushing over to the rock and stopping in front of her.

"I thought you might die there, for a little while. You humans are so weak after all, and can be done in by the tiniest of scratches," he remarked somewhat arrogantly. She glanced up at him, a scowl touching her lips as she arched a brow. She was in no mood to be insulted for the terrible crime of being 'human'.

Perhaps Jaken got the picture, because he quickly coughed and changed the subject: "Sesshoumaru-sama instructed that you bathe after you wake." He motioned with his staff towards the stream. Kagome followed the movement, her eyes settling on the water and slowly widening.

"In _that_?" she hissed. She could still see chunks of ice breaking up and floating through the relatively shallow water, and bits of snow rested atop some of the rocks. It looked utterly freezing.

"Yes, _that_," Jaken responded haughtily. "Where else would you be bathing?" Kagome shuddered as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. She glanced down at her body and grimaced – she was covered with her own blood, dry, flaky and utterly disgusting. While the water did not in the least way look appealing to her stiff body, neither did walking around covered in blood and dirt.

Her eyes scanned the sluggishly flowing water carefully. It was an open area – Jaken would be able to see her easily from the pathway. The only place that added even a measure of privacy was on the other side of the large rock that overhung the stream that she was currently sitting on. As long as she kept her back facing the little youkai he would only be able to see anything but the back of her head and shoulders. She didn't like the idea of bathing in plain sight, but neither Jaken nor Sesshoumaru seemed like the type who would have any desire to peek at her. She was only _human_ after all.

She glanced away, towards the little fire Jaken had made and then into the forest. "Where did Sesshoumaru-sama go?" she asked. "Was he all right after the battle? He wasn't injured, was he?" She didn't know why the idea of Sesshoumaru being injured bothered her, but it wasn't something she questioned either. Even if she were to stumble across an injured Sesshoumaru in the future she would have been worried for his health. He was InuYasha's brother after all, no matter how bad their relations were.

"He is fine. I do not know where he has gone to, but he said he would bring food later tonight," Jaken replied crisply, nodding towards the fire. Kagome sighed – when they weren't on the trail, Sesshoumaru was rarely with them. She wasn't sure whether she should be grateful for that or not. At least when he wasn't around she didn't have to worry about pesky, unanswerable questions.

"Alright then. You go sit by the fire. And don't peek! I'll wash off now," Kagome said, waving him away.

"As if I would," the little youkai grumbled as he waddled off the rock and back towards the fire. He purposefully sat with his back turned toward her and the stream. She eyed him carefully for a moment, goose bumps rising on her torn skin as her gaze wandered over the female head of the staff that faced her. That thing was truly unsettling – the semi-alive head seeming to stare at her with dead eyes.

She shook her head dismissively and turned her hands to the slow and painful process of peeling off her clothing one by one. They too were caked with dry blood and full of little cuts and tears. She didn't have her bag either, so she couldn't really change into a new pair of clothing – and she couldn't wash these if she didn't have anything to change into while they dried.

She heaved a sigh, resigning herself to having to pull them back on when she was done. Then she turned her gaze to the icy water, hunching her shoulders as she moved to the edge of the rock.

"Well, I might as well get it over with quickly," she mumbled, gritting her teeth. She bit down hard on her bottom lip as she slipped off the rock and into the freezing water.

For an instant she couldn't breathe. The wind was knocked out of her and it seemed as if her entire body went into shock. A moment later searing pain was flashing up her spine and a half strangled scream escaped her throat. It seemed that the ice in the water was seeping into her body through her many wounds, freezing her to the very marrow of her bones.

"Human! What's wrong? What's wrong, human!" cried Jaken. She could hear his scrambled footsteps. She wrapped her arms around her chest and ducked deeper into the numbing water.

"I-I-I'm f-f-fine! Don't come o-o-over her-r-re!" she called to him, chattering the words out through teeth that clicked together wildly. The sound of footsteps paused and then resumed, this time going the other way, back towards the fire.

"A-a-and you can s-s-t-t-top calling me h-h-human, you k-k-know. I have a n-n-name!" she called back to him once she was sure that he was back in place where he couldn't see much of her. She began the process of cleaning her body as quickly as she possibly could. She rubbed her hands vigorously down her legs, peeling the blood back from her wounds. It stung like hell but the quicker she got it all off, the quicker she could get out of the freezing water.

"I see the human is up." Kagome froze, her hands stopping in their relentless work as the cool voice of Sesshoumaru accosted her ears. She glanced around quickly and was relieved to see that he wasn't even looking towards her. He had stepped out of the forest near Jaken and was looking down at his little youkai companion, two creatures that looked like rabbits dangling from his clawed hands.

"She is noisy for one who has recently been knocked unconscious," he commented as she squeaked and ducked back into the water. She could hear Jaken's chuckle and gritted her teeth in frustration.

"I s-s-said my n-n-name is not h-h-human! It's K-K-K-Kagome, thank you v-v-v-very m-m-much!" she hissed through chattering teeth. She was not graced with a reply, however, and quickly went back to the unhappy job of cleaning her aching body.

When she had finally got the blood and dirt off of her she was stunned to see how many cuts she had across her body. They had been obscured by the grime before, leaving her without a clue as to just how many she had, but now that she had a clear view of them she couldn't even begin to count how many there were. For an instant she had to admit to herself, however grudgingly, that she was thankful for Jaken's help earlier. If he hadn't burned the threads away, who knew how much damage they would have caused?

"I'm c-c-c-coming out n-n-now! Don't l-l-l-look!" she called over her shoulder. She turned around slowly, placing her hands on the rock and pulling herself up over the edge. The winter air was chill, but not nearly so chill as the water she had bathed in and she was grateful to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin. She glanced quickly to the two youkai and blinked in surprise.

Sesshoumaru's back – and Jaken's as well – was turned towards her, but that was not what was so surprising. Folded neatly on the rock in front of her was some fresh clothing – it was plain but neat, the type of clothing that peasants wore but obviously made of new threads. She picked it up carefully, her fingers sliding up and down the seams slowly. She wondered when he had moved close enough to place the clothing on the rock but, with a slight blush, decided not to think about that and shifted her thoughts elsewhere.

_So that's what he was doing_, she thought. _Not only was he hunting, but he went to get me new clothing. I wonder where he got it…is there a village nearby? Did he just walk in among the humans and take it? _A smile twitched on the edges of her lips – she wished she could have been there to see it. A great taiyoukai like him striding calmly into a village of humans to do nothing but acquire some female peasant clothing. She wondered what the humans had done. Her smile faded. She wondered if any of them had tried to attack him – wondered if he had killed them.

She took a deep breath, pushing those unpleasant thoughts aside and unfolding the clothing. The air wasn't as chill as the water, but it was still cold and she was eager to get into something warm.

000

"What should I do with this?" Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder and arched a brow. The girl looked quite normal now – perhaps even pretty, by human standards at least. Her hair was freshly washed and hung over her shoulders and face and the crisp new clothing suited her well. She no longer looked outlandish and unnatural, as she had in the strange clothing she had worn before. The soft earthy tones of the peasantry kimono contrasted her pale white skin and raven black hair well and made her wide brown eyes pop. She held her old, torn and bloody clothing in her arms, regarding him with a questioning expression.

"You may leave them on the rock," he answered coolly. "You will not be needing them. Or are they valuable?" He frowned slightly at the thought – he did not know where her strange clothing came from nor if they held any secrets within their folds. She shook her head, however, and dropped them on the rock before moving over to the fire opposite them, carrying her shoes with her. Those were strange as well – nothing like the feet coverings humans normally wore, if they wore any at all.

"Thank you," she murmured, her voice surprisingly demure. She had always spoken with a certain fire of spirit before, even when she was frightened. He lifted his gaze to her face with a slight frown as she lowered her head, hunching her shoulders. "For the clothing…thank you."

"Humans smell bad enough as it is," he responded darkly. "I did not want to put up with the smell of your blood any longer than necessary." And that was true. He would have left her in her old clothing without a care if it hadn't reeked with the smell of human blood. He had a sensitive nose and had no desire to put up with that disgusting scent in the least. She did not seem pleased by the answer, however, and he wondered vaguely if she had been expecting something different. She was miko – she should have known his reasons before he ever explained himself. The fact that she had thanked him in the first place was odd in and of itself.

"I…I see," she murmured disappointedly before lifting her head with a determined expression, that curious inner fire once again gleaming in her eyes. "Well thank you anyway. Your reasons might have been selfish, but I am grateful for clean clothing to wear." Sesshoumaru eyed her silently – there was nothing to say to that so he turned his attention on Jaken instead, who was carefully skinning the rabbits. Not that he needed them skinned, but that was a curiosity of human nature – they could not seem to stomach animal fur. After that job was finished they were skewered and left to roast slowly over the fire, body fluids squealing as they sizzled in the heat.

"How did you know about the comb?" he asked, shifting slightly to get into a more comfortable position and turning his gaze from the fire back to the girl's face. He watched as her body started slightly, as if she had been physically hit. She glanced to his face and then away quickly and he could smell the uncertainty and fear rolling off her body.

"I…that is…I have encountered her before." It was the strangest thing – he could smell her nervousness but he could not smell that scent that denoted a lie. It seemed that she really _had_ met the youkai before – either that or she was extremely good at controlling her scent. That seemed unlikely though, because he could sense even the smallest shifts in her moods quite easily.

"She did not seem to recognize you," he remarked coolly. He had seen not even the slightest hint of recognition in Yura of the Hair's face when she first came across the human girl. It was the same with InuYasha – and even himself for that matter. She said she had met both him and his brother before, but he was certain he had never seen her in his entire life. Then again, the faces of humans always ran together in his mind. He might have met her once before and not recall it.

"I…I do not think she remembers the last time we met," she answered with a cringe. Once again, he could not smell the scent of lies on her.

"Strange. You said the same thing about InuYasha, did you not?" She nodded numbly in response, fidgeting with her hands in her lap as she sat near the fire. Jaken was watching her closely – perhaps he could smell her as well, though Sesshoumaru rather doubted it. He shook his head slowly, leaning back slightly and turning his gaze on the roasting rabbits. There was no point in continuing with the questions now – unless he wanted to torture her, she would not answer him straight. At this point, he would rather have her healthy. It would not please him if she started slowing down his pace – Jaken did that enough already.

"For a miko, you were certainly helpless against that youkai," Jaken sighed, breaking the silence that was probably becoming uncomfortable for both him and the human. Sesshoumaru kept his gaze on the fire, but watched her closely out of the corner of his eye. She smiled faintly at the observation.

"Before, my friends always protected me," she said, bitterness running deep in her voice. "And when they were not around, I always had my bow to fight with."

He turned his head away after that – Jaken and the girl continuing their conversation idly while Sesshoumaru gave himself to his thoughts. Perhaps he could obtain a bow and some arrows for the girl. He did not like the idea of giving her a weapon she could use against him, but he was confident in his ability to avoid injury. She was only human after all – even if she was supposedly a powerful miko. Besides, if he was ever not around it wouldn't do to have her die at the hands of another youkai seeking the power hidden in her flesh.

He frowned slightly, his golden eyed gaze resting on the stream.

_It must have hurt to bathe in that freezing water_, he mused absently. Perhaps she wasn't so weak as he had originally assumed. She was certainly a woman of mysteries.

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Well, it seems that the Prayer-Beads are only usable by Kagome and Kikyo. Apparently Kikyo made the beads so they work for her and the only reason Kagome can use them is because she's Kikyo's reincarnation. Which I find odd because Kaede tossed them before knowing who Kagome was...unless she recognized her immediately? Well, I don't know. But apparently that's how it is - so sorry, it seems I'll have to diverge from the original story a little because I don't know how to continue without Sango being able to use the beads.

Anyway, this is another semi-filling chapter, though I rather liked this one. It's important to see how Kagome and her new companions react towards each other, after all. Hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter and the chapter after that are really going to heat things up, trust me. Lots of Sesshoumaru and good heap of trouble!

((Please review and tell me what you think! Your reviews help make my bitterly pathetic life seem at least somewhat acceptable. XD))

**NEXT CHAPTER**

**Chapter Seven: Shikon no Tama**

Kagome faces her biggest challenge yet when Sango and InuYasha catch up with her, Sesshoumaru, and Jaken. InuYasha's hunger for the cursed jewel leaves Kagome in grave danger.


	7. Shikon no Tama

**-THE TIES THAT BIND -  
An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter Seven: Shikon no Tama  
**000  
Kagome stirred before the sun rose the next day. When she awoke the cinders from the flames were cooled and Jaken snored loudly in the corner, his head pillowed against the Staff of Two Heads. She watched him silently for a moment before pushing herself up into a sitting position and glancing around for Sesshoumaru. As usual, he was nowhere to be seen. She wondered if he ever slept – no matter how hard she tried, she always fell asleep before he did, and always awoke in the morning to find him gone.

She sighed softly. It didn't really matter whether he slept or not. Not truly, she was just a little curious. She knew InuYasha slept, and other youkai obviously did as well. Perhaps he slipped off into the forest to find a more private place to sleep, abandoning them to their little campsite till morning.

She slowly rose to her feet, stretching her arms over her head and grimacing. As usual, her muscles were sore, but it was nothing she couldn't work through. The cuts all across her body were healing nicely now that they were cleaned and the stinging sensation was quickly fading. Her clothing was a little uncomfortable to sleep in, mostly because she wasn't used to it, but it was warm and snug at least.

She walked over to the stream, hunkering down at its bank and thrusting her hands into the water. It was cold and when she brought a cupful to her lips it sent a chill down her spine. It was refreshing though, and she dipped her hands in for more.

After she was satisfied, she moved over to the rock she had occupied the day before. Her bloody clothing still hung on its edge but she ignored that, sitting on the opposite side and turning her gaze towards where the sun would soon be rising. She sat in silence, her thoughts wandering through the various events of the last couple days. Her heart still squeezed painfully when she thought of InuYasha, but the whole thing seemed slightly less traumatic now that she had figured it all out – or most of it at least.

It was just as the sun kissed the horizon that Jaken began to stir – and that Sesshoumaru stepped into the campsite. She turned slightly as he slipped in silently from the forest – she wouldn't have noticed at all if she hadn't felt his gaze boring into the back of her head. When she looked at his aristocratic figure, however, his gaze was occupied elsewhere.

She started slightly as she noted a bow and a quiver of arrows in his hands. He did not look at her, however. He simply dropped them by the fire and then moved away, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She stared as he stepped over to the stream, leaping into the air and landing gracefully on the other side – almost as if he had wings that carried him there. Without a word, without a glance, without _anything_, he continued walking along the path on the other side. She stared for another moment before realizing that they were meant to follow – and that _he_ was leaving without them.

She scrambled to her feet and off the rock, moving over to the fire and stooping down to pick up her new weapon. She threw the quiver over her back, holding the bow in her right hand, before turning to face Jaken.

"Hurry up, Jaken-san!" she called out as he stirred, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Sesshoumaru-sama is leaving already!"

"Sesshoumaru-sama? Wha…leaving?" he grumbled groggily as he propped himself up with his staff. Kagome frowned at him, nodding and turning toward the stream. She couldn't leap over it like Sesshoumaru had, but she did succeed in hopping from one little rock to the next until she was across. Once over she turned back to wave to Jaken.

"Hurry up or else he'll leave without us!" She didn't think that was true, really – but he might get mad at them if they trailed too far behind, and he certainly wouldn't let her escape. Jaken was on his feet in an instant, moving with stunning speed to catch up with her.

"Why's he in such a hurry all the sudden?" Kagome asked as Jaken caught up with her, his feet sopping wet from slipping into the shallow part of the stream. He glanced up at her with an irritable expression as he hurried along after Sesshoumaru's retreating figure.

"You humans have the worst senses," he remarked as he passed her. "It's because someone is following us." Kagome glanced over her shoulder at that, her heart thudding against her chest. She wondered if it was another stray youkai out for the Shikon no Tama – or perhaps it was InuYasha chasing his brother's trail.

_Not that it makes a difference_, she thought to herself bitterly, turning away and hurrying after Jaken. Whether it was a stray demon or InuYasha didn't matter in the least – they would both be just as quick to dislocate her head from her shoulders.

000

"What strange garments," Sango murmured as she bent over the rock, picking up a strange assortment of cloth that was caked in blood. She turned slightly to regard the hanyou, lifting them up for him to see. His ears stiffened for a moment, flattening against his skull as he released a low, hungry growl.

"That's the girl," he said quickly, eagerly. "That's her smell!" Sango frowned slightly. She didn't like the hate that gleamed in his eyes, nor the anticipation that caused him to fidget where he stood, his clawed fingers closing into fists, opening, and then closing again in continuous succession.

"I see," Sango murmured hesitantly. The amount of blood on the clothing was not in the least bit reassuring, but she couldn't see any blood anywhere else, nor any sign of a corpse. With any luck, the girl was still alive. "Well, the blood is old but the campsite is fresh – they must have passed by here not that long ago."

"They're making it easy for us," the hanyou said, sniffing irritably. "They're following the trail."

"It seems so," Sango replied uneasily. The only thing she could think of was that it was a trap – that this youkai had some plot in mind and was simply tugging them along. There wasn't anything they could do, however. They just had to keep following the trail, on and on until they caught up with their prey.

000

Kagome glanced to the sky – the sun was at its peak and would soon start setting. She was surprised with how good the weather had been lately. They hadn't been cursed by even the whiff of snow yet and the days had been chilly, but not freezing. Despite the unseasonably warm weather, she noted that she could not hear the sound of birds chirping among the branches. She remembered them that morning, when they had first set off down the trail, but they seemed absent now. She tightened her grip on her bow, glancing ahead to Sesshoumaru.

He had slowed his pace and now walked closer to her and Jaken than normal. That was another sign that something was amiss – she had a feeling that whoever, or _what_ever it was that was chasing them was quickly catching up. She stiffened her shoulders, biting down on her bottom lip and suddenly wishing that she had the same powerful senses as the inuyoukai. As it was she was left completely in the dark, unaware of what was chasing them and how far or close it might be.

She glanced to Jaken. He was walking a little stiffer than normal and between thoughtful frowns he would cast quizzical glances at his master's back, as if expecting something. She wondered what it was he was expecting Sesshoumaru to do, exactly.

She looked over her shoulder with a worried frown, her free hand plucking at the string of her bow. A shiver ran down her spine – she could almost swear that someone was watching her from the shadows. Perhaps she was just being paranoid, though – her nerves were a little on edge after all. She was only just beginning to recover from her wounds from the battle with Yura and wasn't exactly eager to face another stray youkai.

_Or InuYasha for that matter_, she thought with a sigh. Part of her was eager to see InuYasha's face. Part of her screamed for his presence, wanting him near her no matter what the circumstances. Another part of her – the more sensible side – told her that she was being nothing more than a love sick fool. InuYasha was no longer her friend. He would kill her without a second thought, if given the chance.

"_Hiraikotsu_!"

Kagome dropped with a yelp to the ground as a large object flew by her with a piercing _whoosh_ of wind. She lifted her head with wide eyes as the familiar weapon whirred straight towards Sesshoumaru – Sesshoumaru who was there, in plain sight one moment and then completely gone the next. The giant boomerang, without a foe to hit, slammed into a nearby tree instead. Crackling bark flew in every direction as the tree fell with a tremendous thud.

She turned slightly, scooting back across the ground on her butt while Jaken bumbled along beside her towards the tree line where the giant boomerang would be a good deal less effective. Kagome ignored him, however, her gaze scanning the immediate area in search of her old ally…

And there she was! Kagome's eyes widened as both Sango and InuYasha emerged from the forest. Sango was shouting something, but Kagome's heart was beating so fast in her chest that she couldn't make the words out.

"Sango!" she cried – it was a natural reaction, even though, deep down, she knew this Sango would not recognize her.

The youkai exterminator glanced her way with a somewhat puzzled and distracted expression. She appraised her quickly before turning her gaze away, dashing to the other side of the pathway to pick up her Hiraikotsu. Her head whipped around, back and forth as she searched for any sign of Sesshoumaru. Kagome couldn't see what happened, but one moment Sango was just standing there and then the next she had thrown her giant boomerang with full force once again. This time it kept going after it cut through a tree. Following its path, Kagome could make out a flash of silver – was it Sesshoumaru's hair? Perhaps his fur? She didn't know and she didn't think it mattered. The only thing she really knew was that her friend was here, and so was InuYasha.

_InuYasha_! She flicked her gaze around, searching for him. She cringed, pulling back as she caught sight of him walking towards her with a triumphant smirk on his face.

"Hello, little girlie," he said as he neared her, cracking his knuckles threateningly. "We meet again!" His gaze traveled from her face down to her side and she realized with a start that he knew the Shikon no Tama was there – and that he was coming to take it.

"Back off, hanyou!" called Jaken, stepping out from the brambles to stand beside Kagome. She glanced at him, a surprised expression flitting across her face as he held out his staff bravely.

"Stupid youkai," InuYasha replied without a pause, sending Jaken a perfunctory glance before snorting and looking away. "You tried that trick with your staff before – but I wear the robes of a fire rat, and _that_ cannot harm _me_!" He laughed at that, his foot flying out and smacking Jaken straight in the face. With a garbled cry the little youkai fell backwards, stumbling into the bushes.

"Leave him alone!" Kagome cried suddenly. She didn't know what had overcome her – Jaken was no friend of hers, but seeing him stand up for her like that made her want to protect him as well. She scrambled back against the trunk of the tree, pushing herself to her feet. She could vaguely make out over InuYasha's shoulder the evasive battle between Sango and Sesshoumaru continuing.

"I will, _human_," the hanyou snarled. "As long as he keeps out of my way." He glanced over his shoulder, appraising Sango's situation before looking back to her with a triumphant smirk.

"And now that she's distracted…" He pulled his hand back, claws gleaming and…

"HALT!"

Kagome blinked as her old hanyou friend plunged into the ground suddenly. She stared at his twitching body in stunned silence – it was something she had seen a thousand times before, but it had never been caused by anyone but…_her_. For some reason the fact that he was under someone else's control made her heart ache, even if it had just saved her life. She lifted her gaze past InuYasha's fallen form to see Sango struggling, her Hiraikotsu used as a shield against Sesshoumaru's relentless attack.

"San – " Her breath caught in her throat as the Hiraikotsu went flying, landing in the branches of a nearby tree. Sesshoumaru's hands were suddenly around her throat, squeezing the breath – the _life_ – out of her suddenly prone body.

"Sango!" she cried, lurching forward.

And straight into the claws of InuYasha.

She glanced down, her eyes widening as she stared at her side – InuYasha's hand was buried in her flesh all the way down to the wrist. Her mouth fell open as pain rushed up her body, exploding in her mind as if hell itself had opened beneath her skull. She didn't even have enough breath to scream.

InuYasha's claws were removed from her a moment later as Sesshoumaru bowled into his side, sending him flying into a nearby tree. She stared up at his face – it was blurry, the colors of his pale skin and the markings on his cheeks flowing together. She could see the cold chips of his eyes glowing gold in the sunlight.

"For a miko, you are troublesomely helpless," he said to her. His words sounded far away, as if she were hearing them carried on the wind from some distant place. Was that anger she heard in his calm voice? It was hard to tell. All the colors of the world were swirling before her and suddenly she found herself on her knees, her hands clutched to the gruesome wound in her side.

_What does he expect me to do_? the part of her mind that still had consciousness asked. _Purify the man I love_? The idea seemed absurd to her and she was about to say so – or try to at least – when Sesshoumaru leaped away from her as the Hiraikotsu once again whirred by with frightening force.

She leaned back against the tree behind her, staring up at the sky. She could sense Jaken hovering over her – could vaguely here his voice calling to her. She wanted to tell him that her name wasn't 'human' but she couldn't seem to find the words anymore.

_Am I dying_? she wondered. For some reason, now that it was upon her, it didn't seem nearly as frightening as she thought it would be. It wasn't even that painful. Her body felt like it was floating in the pool of time – like everything else in the world was very, very far away. She caught sight of the brilliant red robe InuYasha wore…

And suddenly she came back to herself and felt a whole _world_ of pain. She screamed, her fingers biting into the wound at her side. Jaken stumbled backwards a couple steps, stunned by the sudden outburst when she had looked so out of it just a moment before.

"Help me up," she hissed at him. He looked at her, aghast. She could see Sesshoumaru fighting Sango once again by the corner of her eye – but more importantly, she could see InuYasha, Shikon no Tama in hand and a cruel smirk on his face. She had to hurry.

She wondered if it was fate. As she pushed herself to her feet, she thought that destiny was a very cruel thing. Her knuckles whitened as her grip on her bow grew tighter and tighter. She knew what she had to do – somewhere in her mind she almost thought it funny. It was all so ironic in strange.

Leaning heavily against the tree behind her, she slowly nocked an arrow, pulling the bowstring all the way back to her ear. All the colors were clear and crisp again – though the price she paid for that was the excruciating pain that burned through her entire body. Her goal was plain before her – he wasn't even looking at her, he was too busy staring in wonder at the jewel clutched between his claws.

_Fool,_ she thought. _If you don't want me to blow your hands off, you better let go of it_.

The Gods were good. He leapt into the air then, possibly planning to make his escape – but dropped the Shikon no Tama when the stray Hiraikotsu rebounded back towards its master and nearly slammed into him in the process.

An instant her arrow was whistling through the air, straight towards the tiny jewel that would seal her fate.

_If you would use it for evil…then no matter the cost, I will not allow you to use it all_, was her last thought as darkness violently flooded her world.

000

Sesshoumaru glanced up as a thousand tiny shards of light shot across the sky in every direction.

"That _bitch_!" He was startled by the ferocity of his brother's voice – a scream of rage, of frustration and of hatred. He turned just in time to see Kagome slumping to the ground, bow clutched tight in her hand. Jaken stood beside her, an expression of horror on his face as he pressed a hand to her neck, searching for a pulse.

"What just happened, InuYasha?" the human called to his brother as she took a step back, her breath labored, chest heaving and sweat rolling down her face.

"That _bitch_! I'll kill her! I'll kill her!" his brother screamed wildly. There was a hint of red in his eyes and Sesshoumaru could sense something ominous crackling around his aura. He did not wait to see if the hanyou was lying or not – with a snarl he leapt towards him, tiny whip like lights flashing around him and tearing towards InuYasha. They bit into his brother's flesh, and soon Sesshoumaru's claws joined them, burying deep into the hanyou's shoulder. Poison sizzled and InuYasha threw his head back in a howl of pain.

He was called away from his prey, however, when Jaken called his name. He threw InuYasha aside, removing his claws from his shoulder and leaping gracefully over to where Jaken stood over the human's limp and bleeding body.

"She's not dead yet, but she will be soon, Sesshoumaru-sama!" the little youkai cawed at him, his voice high pitched and terrified. He could see a pool of blood collecting under her fallen body. The wound in her side was sickening, flesh torn away and blood pumping out in a continuous flow. He glanced around – InuYasha was on the ground, nearly unconscious with his hand clutching his shoulder and the exterminator was standing over him looking light headed and in pain. They posed no threat any longer – both of them were far too worn out and injured to attack.

He ducked down, once again scooping the human girl into his arms. He snarled, his nose crinkling at the disgusting scent of her body and blood so close to him. He ignored it, however.

"Come, Jaken," he said to the little youkai standing ever loyal at his feet. "We leave now – I have no time for these fools."

They left the scene of the battle behind, the human girl clutched close to his chest as her life's blood pumped from her side…

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Thanks again for all your reviews! Sorry it took so long to update, but I haven't been able to get ahold of a computer for awhile now. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter - I know I did. But I like the next chapter even better! I'll see if I can work out anything about the Prayer-Beads, but I think I'll just have to leave it as it is and hope it doesn't bother anyone too much. Thanks again!

((I look forward to all of your splendidly enthusiastic reviews - they're like an oasis in the middle of a scorching desert! You aren't going to leave me to wither away in the horrid wasteland of a desert are you?))

**Next Chapter  
Chapter Eight: Village Healer**

Sesshoumaru faces a dilemma he never thought he'd come across - leave the strange human to die in his arms and revive her afterwards with the Tenseiga, or take her to get help at the nearest human village. Mistrust of youkai blood leads to a dangerous showdown ahead.


	8. Village Healer

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -  
An InuYasha FanStory**

**Chapter Eight: Village Healer  
**000  
Sesshoumaru found himself facing a dilemma he had never come across before – and it was seriously beginning to grate on his nerves. His two earlier adversaries were left far behind and had clearly not bothered trying to catch up at all. Sesshoumaru had already lost their scent long ago, but that meant little to him. He had other troubles to face now.

He glanced down at the girl clutched tightly to his chest. His clothing was now thoroughly stained with her blood and his nose was already beginning to get used to the disgusting metallic scent she emitted. The Tetsusaiga that was wrapped around by the strap of her quiver dug into his ribs uncomfortably and his sturdy arms were beginning to tire of carrying her near-dead weight. This was his dilemma – wait and watch her die and then revive her afterwards with the Tenseiga, or take her to a human healer who might stem the flow of blood and snatch her soul back from the brink of death. He was beginning to think that he really didn't have much of a choice at all – she was already almost dead and he wasn't particularly certain that there was another village near enough for him to get her treatment in time. He could always double back to the village behind them, but that would require crossing his brother's path once again. He could dispatch of him quickly enough, especially when he was already so badly wounded, but that would be nothing more than time wasted.

"Jaken." The little youkai squeaked when his name was called, wide eyes upturned to his face and tiny shoulders hunched in fearful anticipation.

"Stay here, Jaken – I can move more quickly without you. I will search out a healer for the girl and come back for you when my business is done," he said coldly.

"But Sesshoumaru-sama…you own the Tenseiga," Jaken pointed out tentatively. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and the little youkai quickly dropped into a groveling bow. "I will wait as you command!" he squawked quickly. Sesshoumaru nodded in something similar to approval before turning away.

_It would be easier if I let her die_, he admitted to himself as he lunged over the treetops in a single bound, soaring for a good distance before landing again, dashing across the countryside through the trees. For some reason the thought of her dying in his arms made him nervous, however. He did not fear that the Tenseiga would fail him – that was not it at all. It was something else entirely, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Nor did he care to, for that matter.

He dismissed these thoughts, concentrating on his senses instead. He must seek out a human village as quickly as possible and it would not do to pass one by because of distractions.

000

Rianna shuddered, lifting her head slightly and narrowing her eyes. A chill ran down her spine and the air around her seemed to crackle, as if charged with energy. It was a familiar sense to a miko such as herself – the premonition that always foretold the presence of a youkai. And this was a powerful one as well, so powerful that goose bumps were beginning to rise on her sun tanned skin.

She wiped her sweating forehead with the back of her hand, staring up at the sky. It was unseasonably warm this winter. She wondered if it was a good omen, but expected that it was more likely to be nothing but a trick. The calm before the storm. In these troubled times, one could never trust anything that was good to last for very long.

She rubbed her arms, trying to be rid of the goose bumps, and shouldered the large basket that carried the herbs she used for her medicines. It was a little early to be heading back and there was still much more work to be done, but with the ominous presence lurking nearby, she thought it best to return to the little village.

She knew the instant she walked into her humble town that something was amiss – the villagers around her whispered to each other, pulling their children aside with wide and frightened eyes. As she walked down the length of the main road running straight down the middle of the village, one of the older men ran to her side and stopped in front of her. His face was gaunt, his nearly black eyes full of suspicion and hate.

"Rianna-san," he said quickly, his voice harsh and hurried. Rianna bowed her head slightly, reaching out a hand to gently touch his arm in an attempt to calm his nerves. He visibly relaxed under her caress – it was a skill she had. Or perhaps it was a skill all miko had. She didn't really know. She had never been formerly trained as a miko – she simply had inherent skills that had led her down that path through pure chance. She had only ever left her little village twice before – once to help a group of sick children in a neighboring village across the forest and another to fend off a particularly ferocious youkai attack.

"What has happened?" she asked. Her voice was not soft and sweet like most miko's voices were. She had a harsh edge to her, a vivacity of spirit and a quality of charisma that made her a natural leader, despite her young age. The man bobbed his head and then turned to point towards the opposite end of the village. The dirt road meandered through an empty field outside the village for a ways before rising up onto a hill and then disappearing beneath the boughs of the forest.

"Some hunters just returned from the forest. They say that there is a youkai there, coming this way. He has a human girl with him – a dead one, they say. The youkai was carrying her, covered in her blood. Mighty nasty wound in her side. That's what they say," he said, bobbing his head again. Rianna frowned – her senses were never wrong.

"A human girl you say? One of our own?"

"No. She might be from the other village beyond the forest. The hunters never got close enough to check." Rianna couldn't help but feel relieved – she admonished herself for wishing ill upon another village, but felt thankful all the same. Their village, like so many others, had fallen on hard times. The death of one of their members would only drop morale all the more.

She motioned for the man to follow her as she strode down the main street towards the edge of the village. He did so, their long, powerful strides in perfect synch as they gazed ahead with cold, hard expressions. In troubled times like these, it did not do to show weakness. One must always be prepared for the worst. They lived with the threat of death looming over them each passing moment. A youkai was no different.

They stopped at the edge of the village. Many of the other young men gathered around as well, along with some of the braver women and the older villagers who had nothing left to lose. The rest huddled in their homes, pulling children tightly to their chests and barring windows and doors shut.

The youkai appeared an instant later, stepping out from beneath the shadow of the forest. Rianna's heart skipped a moment – he had the form of a human, and only the strongest of youkai took on the form of humans. Long silver hair fell down his back, all the way to his knees, but she could make out little else from the distance between them. She could see, however, that he carried someone in his arms, and the smear of blood was distinct on his white haori.

"Be prepared," she hissed to the villagers around her. They carried farm tools in their hands, held aloft like weapons. It would do little against a youkai of his stature, but it gave the villagers a sense of unity and purpose that was important in these dark days. She was worried, however. Now that the youkai was in sight, she could feel his dark aura pressing down on her body like a living creature. Never before had she come across a youkai so powerful.

No one spoke as the creature neared them. A low murmur rippled through the crowd but they did not move. She stood slightly in front of all of them, her head held up high and her short cropped, messy, honey brown hair hanging over her face. Her brown eyes gleamed with determination – the determination not to give this evil beast the upper hand. She would purify him if she must. She would die trying, if fate decreed.

The youkai stopped a couple meters in front of her, his golden eyes flicking over the crowd before settling on her face. For a moment she was breathless at his beauty – his aristocratic face and pristine skin. He had a tall and lithe figure, as well as a cold and haughty demeanor. He looked like a lord. A lord of youkai.

But in his hands was the limp body of a pretty young girl, her silky black hair hanging over his arm and her pale face slack and expressionless. She looked as if she was asleep – or would have looked so, but for the gaping wound in her side. There was blood everywhere, caking her clothing and his, but it seemed to have already clogged up and only a thin trickle of blood continued to flow.

"You are not welcome here, _youkai_," she snarled, stiffening as her gaze fell on the young girl. _All youkai are the same…heartless, mindless killers,_ she reminded herself forcefully. _No matter what façade they put on – no matter how pretty they make their faces – they are all beasts deep down._

"Clearly," the beast responded. His voice was pointedly calm. He took a step forward, causing a nervous shift in the villagers around her as they tightened their grips on their farm tools.

"This girl," he continued, his voice cold and threatening. "You will have her healed."

Rianna blinked, a befuddled expression flitting across her face. She glanced to the human again – she had assumed she was dead but…

_She breaths_! Rianna thought as she caught the very subtle rise of her chest. It was a shallow breath indeed – the girl was on the very brink of death.

"Take the girl," she said quickly, motioning to the villagers behind her. "Quickly! She does not have long to live! Even as it is, I might not be able to save her in time. Hurry! I will deal with the youkai!" The villagers glanced at each other silently for a moment before one of the younger men handed his farm tool aside and stepped towards the youkai. Rianna locked her gaze on his face, ready to make her move at even the slightest hint of hostilities. He did not move, however, and simply watched impassively as the villager took the limp girl from his arms.

"She is so cold," he murmured as he passed Rianna, quickly returning to the relative safety of the crowd. Rianna had to wonder at this strange youkai, who carried a bloody young woman in his arms and demanded her salvation.

_These beasts are tricky. _

"Leave now," she commanded icily, taking a slow step back towards the crowd. She had to end the conversation quickly if she hoped to save the woman's life – but more than anything, making sure her village was not attacked by this youkai took highest priority.

"I will stay until I am certain she will be well taken care of," he answered, his golden eyes narrowing on her face. She could make out no emotion in either his voice or his face, but she sensed it on the air – a vague anger and impatience. He veiled his feelings well, however. He looked as emotionless as the china dolls the daughters of rich lords played with.

"You can entrust her care to us, _youkai_," she quickly replied, angered by his insinuation that they would not handle her with care. It was true – many villages were so desolate that they could not afford to help strangers, but she for one would never turn down a human in need. "So leave now. We will not tolerate your presence!"

"You _will_ tolerate my presence," the youkai said simply. Once again, there was no emotion in his voice but she could distinctly make out the threat. _You will tolerate it if you wish your precious villagers to survive to see another day_, she translated in her head. Her lips pursed as she glanced back over her shoulder. The girl would die any minute now if she didn't receive immediate attention – she had no time to waste. And yet, letting a youkai into the village…?

_I will never do it_!

"You will leave now, _youkai_!" she snarled impatiently. "Trust that I will do what I can for the girl and go back to whatever hell you came from! The longer you stand here arguing, the more life that poor girl loses!"

She was surprised to see a flicker of expression pass over the youkai's face. She couldn't make out what it was, for it disappeared as quickly as it came, but it had clearly been there, whatever it was. He stared at her silently for a moment before whirling on his heel, his silver hair floating around his shoulders.

"You will heal her, human," he said without so much as glancing over his shoulder as he walked along the path towards the forest. "You will not survive long afterwards, if you do not."

Rianna stared after him, stunned breathless for a moment. What did he care whether this human lived or died? What did it matter to him?

_There is no time for such pointless thoughts_! she admonished herself, whirling around as well.

"Come, take her to my home quickly! We must give her attention now before it is too late," she commanded, motioning. The crowd parted for her and she quickly hurried through, the young man carrying the girl following behind.

_It may already be too late_, she thought, glancing over her shoulder. The young man was entranced, staring at the girls pale face. Rianna had to admit that, even on the verge of death, if one ignored the grave wound in her side, she could be considered extremely beautiful. Rianna wondered what she looked like with warmth in her cheeks and the spark of life in her eyes.

_Hopefully we will be able to see for ourselves_. She pushed the curtain that served as a door into her home open, stepping aside to let the young man and his charge through.

"Set her down on the floor," she commanded as she stepped through, letting the curtain fall behind her. She pulled the large basket full of herbs from her back, setting it in the corner and then quickly hurrying to the girl as she was set gently on the ground.

"Get me a bucket of water and a towel. And be quick about it!"

"Yes, Rianna-san," the man said with a quick bow of his head before hurrying out. He was a couple years older than she herself was – but everyone in this village, no matter how old they were, obeyed her commands without complaint.

Rianna bit down on her bottom lip as she leaned over the limp form of the young girl. The wound in her wide was one of the worst she had ever seen – it was clearly done by sharp claws. It did not have the look of fangs – no mark where a jaw would have clamped down on her side. It looked as if someone, some_thing_, had simply plunged a hand into her side and ripped a chunk of flesh out.

_That youkai…_she thought, gritting her teeth in anger. He had unmistakably sharp claws – this was obviously his doing. Did he want her healed so that he could do it again? Was that his desire – to simply torture her to the verge of death, let her heal, and then do it again? Youkai were truly twisted creatures.

She began the sickening process of pulling the girl's cloths back from the wound – first removing the quiver and the old sword from her back, as well as prying the bow she clutched tightly from her fingers. It hurt just looking at the wound – she couldn't imagine how much pain the girl had been in when she had received it.

"Rianna-san." She glanced up – the young man was there again, his face white as he stared at the girl's wounds. He probably hadn't looked at it very clearly before – and now with the shreds of clothes out of the way, the extent of the damage was clear.

"Leave it beside me and then go. I have work to do," she snapped. The man jumped, hurrying over to her side and setting down the bucket and the towel before hurrying off again. Once he was gone she picked up the towel, soaking it in the water and then squeezing it out. She turned, pressing the cloth again the girl's side and slowly beginning to wash the dried blood from her skin so that she could work with a clean palette.

_This girl…even now, three-quarters dead, she has such a strong aura about her. She almost _glows… Rianna thought as she worked. _How strange. How did she come across such a youkai as that cold beast? How did she come by such a horrible wound?_

She dismissed these thoughts – they were unanswerable now and she had to concentrate. She tossed the bloody towel aside with a grimace, running her fingers over the edge of the wound. She had never used her powers to heal such a thing before – it might even be beyond her powers – but she had to try.

"This will hurt you," she murmured softly. _Though I suppose not so much as the actual wound has hurt you_, she thought bitterly. She pressed both palms against the revealed muscle of the wound, her fingers digging into the remaining skin as she squeezed her eyes shut, focusing all her thoughts on this one thing – on healing the wound.

She could feel the tingling, burning sensation welling up inside her, overpowering her and then flooding down her arms and into her palms. Her entire world became flashes of brilliant color, exploding across the back of her eyelids as she forced her power out of her body and into the wound. It felt as if she was losing her own blood – as if the power that seeped from her palms was her own life's blood. She was quickly growing dizzy. The wound was too large and she didn't have enough power and control to heal it effectively. It was already beginning to drain her strength. Any moment now and the connection would burst and she would be left weak and helpless. Any moment now and…

Rianna gasped, her eyes flashing open. Her chest heaved, sweat rolling down her forehead and back. She gazed down at the wound in silence, removing her hands. It had healed – not completely, but it had still healed. There was a large gash in her side, as if she had been sliced by a sword, but it was not the gaping hole that it had been moments before.

_I swear…I swear I felt her powers rising…and helping me heal her body_, she thought. She wondered if the girl was a miko as well – if her miko powers had stirred to provide assistance to Rianna. She wondered if that was even possible.

"You have lost a lot of blood," she murmured softly, pressing a hand to her forehead in an attempt to ward off the dizziness. "You may still die yet…but the greatest obstacle has been overcome."

Once the dizziness began to fade away and the colors of the world around her once again solidified into identifiable shapes, Rianna rose to her feet and hurried to the side of the house where a roll of bandage resided. She picked it up and then glanced around searchingly. There was a row of small clay bowls next to her feet, each carrying a different salve. She leaned down, picking up one of the bowls and a horse hair brush before returning to the girls side.

"This will do for what's left of your wound," she murmured. The girl didn't answer, obviously, but Rianna firmly believed some part of her consciousness could hear her words. She spread the bandage out, picking up the horse hair brush and dipping it into the bowl of salves.

"The rest is up to you…"

000

Rianna frowned as she pushed the curtain to her little hut back, peering out into the street. The villagers still milled about near the entrance, murmuring to each other quietly and staring off towards the forest. Rianna followed their gaze, her eyes narrowing as she caught sight of the youkai. Even from so far away, he was impossible to miss, his silver hair gleaming in the quickly fading sunlight. He sat under a tree in plain sight, just on the edge of the forest – almost as a threatening reminder of his presence in case they should decide to turn against him and leave the girl to die.

"That damn youkai," Rianna growled under her breath. "I will not give this poor girl up to you – not when you are so obviously the cause of her wound!" She glanced into the hut where the girl rested, her chest rising and falling with each shallow breath, her side bound with fresh bandages. Seeing that she was safe and on the path to recovery, Rianna turned and stepped into the street, striding towards the group of villagers milling at its edge.

"He is still here!" one of the villagers called as she neared. "He is still here, waiting! What will we do, Rianna-san? What if he chooses to attack?"

"Then we will do what we can to fight back," Rianna responded crisply. She would not show her fear in front of these people who looked up to her – this was _her_ village and she would never allow a filthy youkai to destroy it. Not while she was still breathing, at least. The villagers glanced at each other nervously but then nodded their heads in determination.

"Wait here," she commanded, stepping past the crowd and turning to face them. They were a ragged people – their clothes torn and their faces wrinkled and worn. But they were _her_ people, and there was pride and honor in their eyes. Not one of them would relinquish the girl to that horrid youkai's hands, even if it meant saving their own lives.

"I will go see the youkai and tell him that the girl will survive. I will have him leave…or _make_ him, if I must."

"But Rianna-san!" they cried. She lifted a hand to silence them and then slowly shook her head.

"Wait here," she commanded again. "Trust me. Your farm tools will not affect him in the least – but I at least have the tools to fight back. Just stay here. I will not put my life in danger needlessly. Alright?"

"Yes, Rianna-san…" they murmured, bowing their heads. She smiled at them reassuringly and then turned and began the ascent along the dirt path.

The youkai rose to his feet as she neared him, his golden eyed gaze flicking to the sky. The sun was falling towards the horizon quickly and soon night would lay over them. She stopped in front of him, squaring her shoulders and facing him head on.

"You may leave now, _youkai_," she said, spitting the word 'youkai' as if it were a curse – and it certainly was, in her mind. The beast glanced back down to her face, arching a brow slightly.

"The girl will survive. Leave."

"Do not presume to command me, human," the youkai answered, tilting his chin up and regarding her coldly.

"You will leave now, youkai! You are not welcome here!" Rianna responded, anger boiling in her voice. He stared at her silently for a moment before his gaze wandered past her, down towards the village.

"I will not leave without the girl."

Rianna was floored. What could he _possibly_ want with the girl?

"You will not have her. You forget – I saw the wound in her side close up. That was no ordinary wound. That was a wound caused by sharp claws on a human hand." Her gaze shifted down to his own hands in a pointed manner, her face hardening into an expression of hatred and disgust. The creature looked back at her, expressionless.

"It matters not what you saw – or what you think you saw. I will not leave without the girl," he answered, not taken aback in the least.

"Then you must go through me first," she snarled, losing her impatience. The youkai regarded her haughtily, a faint smirk pulling on the edges of his lips.

"Gladly," was all he said.

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This is the character I was talking about - Rianna - when I asked if anyone would like me to add a new main character to the old group. I rather enjoy writing about this timboy, tough girl miko so I was considering putting her in the story more. If anyone would like to see her join the story full time, or at least part time, please tell me so and I'll try to work it out! If not, then I'll write things differently.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter - I certainly did. Sesshoumaru is loads of fun to write about and Rianna amused me too. I feel sorry for poor Kagome though, having nearly died and now being the object of an 'epic battle' between a miko and a youkai. Please review this and tell me what you think of this chapter, as well as whether you'd like Rianna to stick around! Thanks!

((I wait on the edge of my seat for your reviews! They help my passion for writing burn brighter than ever!))

**Next Chapter  
Chapter Nine: A Hanyou's Dream**

InuYasha is haunted by memories of a past best forgotten and Sango is left to wonder why his soul seems so tortured.


	9. What Was Never To Be RW

**Important Note: **I've decided to begin revising the chapters of The Ties That Bind that I have already posted. There are a few things I wanted to change, and more details I hope to add. I'm sorry for those who are eagerly awaiting the continuation of the story, but please bear with me! I promise it will be worth it! It won't take me long to finish the rewriting process, and I am already rather far into it - so you can expect the adventure to continue soon, probably by the end of this week or the beginning of next week. I really hope you'll read through my revisions and tell me what you think! If it makes anyone feel any better, there will be a lot more Sesshoumaru POVs in the rewrite, seeing as this _is_ supposed to be something of a Sessfic. Thanks for your support! And I look forward to your reviews!

Here begins my rewrite. All chapters with an RW next to the name will be rewrites of the original chapters. All chapters without RW after their names are, of course, the originals. After I finish the rewrites of the first eight chapters, I will remove the old chapters and then continue the story from there. Sorry for the trouble and please review!

* * *

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -**

**Prologue: What Was Never To Be  
**000  
She was beginning to wonder if the wrenching pain in her heart would ever go away. It was hard to remember a time when her chest _hadn't_ felt like it was going to explode at any moment. It was as if her heart had grown too large for her ribcage, and was growing larger with each passing minute. Sometimes it hurt so much that she vaguely wondered if she was dying, or going insane, or both.

She supposed it hurt so much because they were so frighteningly close to the end – the final battle against her ultimate enemy, Naraku. She had never really seriously considered her predicament until these last couple weeks. She had always been too preoccupied with worrying about school or this youkai attack or that youkai attack or any number of _other_ youkai attacks that plagued her days and nights. It all seemed so paltry now, oddly enough.

_Because it's almost over…_she thought numbly, sinking deeper into the semi-soothing water filling her present-day bathtub. To think that soon she would be able to take a hot bath every day without worrying. She'd be able to sleep in a soft bed as well, tucked safely under her downy comforters with only the youkai of her dreams to haunt her sleep.

It was an odd notion. Was there ever a time where she hadn't travelled in the company of youkai? She could vaguely remember the days before her first excursion in _Sengoku Jidai_ but it seemed to her as if they were someone else's memories, not her own.

_Not my own…_

An unwelcome image of Kikyou swirled in the steaming water before her eyes. Not even her _soul_ was her own, anymore. No, it belonged to Kikyou. Just like the _Sengoku Jidai_ was Kikyou's time, not hers. Just like InuYasha was Kikyou's…

_And not mine_, she finished, sinking even farther into the water. It came up over her mouth now, just below her nose and she watched as tiny bubbles escaped from between her lips to pop once they reached the surface. It was as if each of the bubbles were one of her dreams, floating through time only to burst with cruel realization. The realization that she had been born in the wrong era and that there was nothing she could do about it, no matter how much she hated it.

_Destiny is a cruel thing, to drag me back in time like this. _She could have continued living her life, happy in her innocence, without ever worrying about the hanyou she loved and the friends she would give her life for. Perhaps she would have fallen in love with the strange and yet thoughtful Hojou. Perhaps she would have had the chance to live a normal and happy life, never worrying about anything larger than the next test around the corner. How pleasant would that have been, never having to glance over her shoulder in fear for her life?

_But no. I am sent to fight this damnable war in a time that is not my own, and I don't even get to enjoy the benefits afterwards. I'll come back here and try to pick up the scattered shards of my life, just like I pieced together the shards of the Shikon no Tama in the past. I won't get the man I love. I won't get the glory. I won't get _any_thing. _

Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder if it was all worth it, in the end. If she truly wanted to she could simply stay where she was and never return to _Sengoku Jidai_ again. She could avoid the Well altogether and start picking up the tatters of her life now, slowly piecing them back together until she could once again live the normal life she had left behind years before. She contemplated this, watching her silky black hair float in the steaming water around her white shoulders.

_It's no use_. She knew she would go back – probably on the morrow. It didn't matter how many fights she and InuYasha got in. It didn't matter how many times she realized how hopeless her prospects in the past were. It didn't matter how many times Kikyou appeared before her, baring a part of her soul and wearing the same face she wore. None of it really mattered because, simply enough, she was in love. She was in love with a hanyou who was enamored with a past she knew nothing of – a hanyou so torn between his feelings that, even if he loved her back, he would tell her to return to her own time and leave the _Sengoku Jidai_ behind forever. In the end all of her efforts led back to the same place – returning home and abandoning everything she had fought so hard for these past couple years.

She sighed as she pushed herself up out of the water, the steam swirling around her slender body. Despite all the beatings she had taken during her adventures, she was growing into her figure surprisingly well. Her hips had filled out nicely and even her breasts seemed larger than she ever remembered them being before. These things hardly mattered, however. No matter how beautiful she grew, InuYasha would always be looking the other way, over his shoulder to that painful past he could never let go of.

She pushed these thoughts aside with something of a sad smile, pulling the downy green towel from the rack next to her and wrapping it tightly around her slim figure. She ran a hand through her wet hair, her fingers catching in the tangles before jerking through them. It hurt, but the pain was welcome – anything but that twisting, sinking pain in her chest. She leaned over the side of the tub, dipping her arm in to pull out the plug and let the hot water swirl down the pipes and off into oblivion. After this was finished she turned away, walking to the door and pulling it open.

The wooden panels of the hallway creaked as she stepped on them, echoing in the silence of the night. It was somewhere around midnight, the rest of her family members having long since fallen asleep. A part of her felt sorry for them – she spent so much time in _Sengoku Jidai_ that it was as if she hardly knew them anymore. Souta was growing up so quickly – it seemed that each time she returned he had shot up another inch.

_Soon he'll be taller than me_, she thought with another faint and tired smile. Perhaps staying in her present time wouldn't be as horrible as she thought. She could watch Souta grow. She could spend the last years of her grandfather's waning life actually _with_ him. She could help her mother around the house. She could spend more time with her friends. She could even get herself a _normal_ romantic life.

A small chuckled escaped between her lips as she walked to her room, shutting the door quietly behind her and flopping on her bed. The soft fabric of her blankets was comforting after such a long time of sleeping on hard wooden floors or, even worse, on dirt and rocks and sticks. She ran her hand over the cloth, tilting her head backwards as beads of heated water rolled down her limbs and dripped onto the bed.

_I'll go back tomorrow_, she decided at last, the thudding in her chest becoming too much to bare. She had to do _something_, even if it was as simple as deciding what she would do the next day.

She rose from her bed, pulling the towel tighter around her and moving over to the window next top her desk. She leaned her elbows against the sill, gazing out through the pane of glass at the sky. In _Sengoku Jidai_, a million stars decorated the sky, glimmering all throughout the night. In Tokyo, only a few, faint pinpricks of light shone against the darkness – and those were probably the blinking lights of far off planes. There were so many differences between the two eras. Too many to count.

_When I leave that place for good, there will be nothing here to remind me of them._ She wasn't sure if she should be grateful for this or not. It might be easier to live her life without any painful and useless reminders of the man she could never love and the friends she must leave behind. She would miss them all – InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kaede…even Sesshoumaru and Rin and Jaken, despite the fact that they were enemies more often than not.

"I wonder how things will turn out for them," she pondered aloud, her mind immediately grasping hold of something to take her thoughts away from the clenching pain in her chest that was driving her mad. "It seems that Sesshoumaru is turning out to be more like his father than I ever thought possible, letting Rin tag around at his heels like that." Sesshoumaru was much the same as he had been when she had first met him, and yet very different as well.

_If only InuYasha could be more like his older brother_, she thought with a sigh, her mind inevitably turning back to the subject of her pain. _If only he wouldn't say needless things that do nothing but hurt the people around him…that hurt _me_. If only he could be strong and careful and not so loud and obnoxiously brash. _She thought it would be nice to sit beside InuYasha quietly – no angry words, no sullen glares or awkward silences. Nothing but peace as they warmed their limbs over a nice fire.

_But that's impossible_, she thought as she turned away from the window, moving over to her closet to retrieve her pajamas. When she finally slipped under the covers of her bed, her thoughts were haunted by images of InuYasha in the arms of the miko she was the reincarnation of…and of a young, smiling girl with warm brown eyes, trailing at the heels of a taiyoukai with an impassive face impossible to read…

For some reason, as her eyes drooped closed and the heavy weight of sleep settled over her, she felt as if something in the world was turning over – as if something vital in her life was being changed forever. The sensation was quickly forgotten, however, as the black waves of unconsciousness rolled over her, leaving her with nothing but dreams and memories and that thrice damned pain that strangled her even in her sleep.

000

Kagome rested her hand on the old, worn wood of the door that opened in on the Bone Eater's Well, her head cocked to the side slightly. The first rays of dawn were just beginning to peek over the horizon, the sky above lightening from black to murky gray. Old patches of snow dotted the ground and the chill of a winter breeze skirled fallen, half rotted leaves across the cobblestones. It was gloomy, and yet crisp and clear and definite, as if the weather had conspired to remind her of her situation with painful clarity. Gloomy and yet plain as day. She could already see where her path was leading her already.

_But even so, that doesn't mean I shouldn't follow it to the end_, she told herself, trying to quell the strangling sensation that was pushing itself up her throat and making it increasingly difficult to breathe. She shook her head, pushing the door open and stepping into the small shrine-like building. The shadows gathered around her like living things, clawing at her feet and crawling up her legs as if to drag her down into the cold earth where she might rot and join them in an eternity of darkness. The thought made her shiver, partly because the idea was almost appealing to her grief stricken mind.

She walked to the Well, shifting the weight of the lumpy pack on her back and frowning into the darkness. She could remember a time when she used to climb down the side slowly, always afraid that one day it wouldn't work and her legs would shatter at the bottom. Those days were so long ago, however – gone and half forgotten. _Now_ she simply jumped in without a thought, never considering that she might hurt herself if she ever chanced to actually hit the bottom.

She swung her legs over the edge, brushing her hair back from her face and gazing silently into the shadows for a long moment. The silence yawned around her, a chasm of empty emotions that threatened to swallow her. She wondered if InuYasha was waiting for her on the other side, pacing anxiously and growling under his breath as he tended to do. She wondered if he would welcome her back in that stubborn and relentless way of his, never admitting that he was wrong but nonetheless glad to see her again. Or perhaps he would simply look upon her with dull eyes and see only the woman he had lost, fifty years ago.

Her knuckles turned white as her grip on the rim of the Well tightened, her breath hissing between clenched teeth. She started slightly, shaking her head as if to dislodge the thoughts from her mind.

"Enough of this," she said aloud. There was no one around to hear her – the rest of her family was still asleep, unaware of her hasty return to _Sengoku Jidai_. "It's time to go."

_It's time to end this_, she thought as she pushed off the edge, her body suspended in air, clothed in shadows and in magic.

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Well, I decided to remove this part from the first chapter and put it into a prologue instead. I thought it was important to show Kagome's state of mind. I imagine if you made a habit of travelling back in time and fell in love with a hanyou who was in love with someone else, you would probably be rather miserable as well - especially since she abandoned her present-day life in order to pursue her adventures in _Sengoku Jidai_. I figured it would be best to show all the turmoil she's been putting up with, as it is rather important to the rest of the story. Also, I wanted to get rid of the 'Shooting Star' bit, because that is all rather...erm...overused.

Anyway, please review and tell me what you think of this rewrite, as well as the others to come!

**Next Chapter  
Chapter One: Twist of Fate**

Stumbling from the Well, Kagome finds herself faced with a situation she had never expected. Instead of finding herself greeted by her friends and that stubborn hanyou she had come to love, she finds herself face to face with none other than Sesshoumaru himself. Now she must puzzle through her new and frightening circumstances and search for a way to turn things right - and stay alive as well.


	10. Twist Of Fate RW

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -**

**Chapter One: Twist Of Fate  
**000  
She blinked as her feet lightly touched the bottom of the Well, sinking into at least half a foot of snow. It wasn't the snow that startled her so much, really – it was the onset of winter, after all. It was something else entirely, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something felt…_different_ somehow, though she couldn't say what yet. For a moment she simply stood at the bottom of the Well, frowning as she tried to puzzle out the troubling feeling that had settled over her. Her chest still throbbed with that pain she had almost become used to, after all her time with it, so that certainly wasn't what had changed.

_Too bad, too_, she thought with something of a sullen smile. _I could do without it, I think_. She shook her head slightly, her fingers curling around the sturdy vine that wound down the wall of the Well, from bottom to top. She began pulling herself up, hand over hand, until she reached the top.

When she finally pulled herself over the lip and had time to glance at her surroundings, the first thing she noted was that it must have snowed just last night – and a lot as well. She was nearly blinded by the glare of sunlight reflected off the pristine heaps of white powder that surrounded her on all sides, dripping off the laden branches of the trees around her and completely obscuring the ground at her feet. She squinted, trying in vain to adjust her eyesight to the sudden brightness of the world around her, so different from the gloomy gray of her home back in Tokyo.

She couldn't help but smile slightly as she caught a glimpse of movement – the soft sheen of silver hair that she knew so well – from the corner of her eye. She turned, one hand rising to rub at her eye, which was quickly beginning to water from the strain of trying to _see_.

"InuYasha?" she asked, wondering if he was still mad at her, seeing as he hadn't spoken yet. She moved her hand away from her face and froze, nearly toppling over backwards into the Well again.

"You know of my brother?"

Her heart stopped beating. An interesting sensation, because her mind continued to work at a frantic pace. Her hands curled around the edge of the Well, her entire body as stiff as a board as she stared at the man she knew so well, and yet not at all – Sesshoumaru, InuYasha's half brother. She cursed herself for her foolishness – she was so preoccupied with other things that she hadn't even noticed the difference in his aura. If she had bothered to concentrate before, she would have known it was him long before she had reached the top of the Well. She would have had _some_ warning at least.

_But no. Stupid me – I actually thought it was InuYasha_! Stupid indeed. She flipped one leg over the side of the Well – she knew how fast the inuyoukai could move and, if she had any hope of surviving at all if he decided to attack, she had better be as ready as possible. It was only then that she paused to consider his words.

And blinked.

"Huh?" she asked stupidly. His question was beginning to sink in through her thick skull – and it made no sense at all. What did he mean by asking a question like that? Of course she knew his brother! He had seen them traveling together a thousand times before. They had fought against each other before. They had fought _with_ each other before. How could he not remember?

_Perhaps this is his ego kicking in again, or something_, she thought, her frozen mind slowly grinding into movement again. _No self respecting youkai would ever acknowledge a human, after all. Perhaps this is his way of trying to put me in my place? Pretending he doesn't know me?_ She decided to go along with it. There wasn't much else she could do after all – and as an added show of respect, she bowed her head in as demure a manner as she could manage.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she murmured, adding the honorific _–sama_ to the end of the name carefully as she perched over the side of the Well, ready to escape at a moment's notice. "What brings you here?"

The young taiyoukai started slightly as his name escaped from her lips. She frowned, her body tensing once again – she _knew_ something was wrong.

She regarded his tall, lithe form cautiously. He looked the same as she remembered: long, silver hair flowing over his shoulders and down his spine, all the way to the back of his knees; golden chips for eyes reflecting the glaring light from the snow; strong, muscular form half-hidden by the loose white haori, decorated with tiny flower patterns that curled up his shoulders and down his sleeves; heavy, fanged breastplate plastering his otherwise loose and billowing clothing to his strong frame; aristocratically high cheek bones, sharp nose and markings on his cheeks and forehead. All of it was the same, and yet she had the distinct impression that there was something different there as well. She looked him over again.

"How do you know my name?" he growled softly, the fingers of his hands flexing warily as he regarded her through cold eyes. The nails of his fingers were more like claws, gleaming hungrily in the dim morning sunlight. They were fascinating things – long and deadly, carrying in them a poison that could easily burn through her flesh in an instant. His claws…yes, there was something strange about his claws…but what?

Her eyes widened, her mouth dropping open and her breath whistling in her throat as she stared at him, finally detecting what she had been searching for all along. He had _both_ arms. Not just one, but _two_. And yet she distinctly remembered him only having one last she saw him – and that wasn't that long ago. She was relatively sure that he couldn't have grown another in such a short time.

"Your arm! You have _two_!" she gasped, pulling her leg over the side of the Well and stumbling to the ground as she lurched forward to look closer. The inuyoukai's eyes widened as he started back, a snarl pulling back on his lips as he stared at her with a disgusted expression written across his face.

"Most people _do_," he hissed at her, taking a step back and flexing his clawed fingers in a threatening manner. Her gaze jerked up from his filled sleeve to his face, sticking there. He regarded her as if he thought she was insane, and no flicker of recognition crossed his face. She was stumped. Dumbfounded. Lost. Confused. She had _no_ idea what was going on.

"What are you…talking about? Don't you remember? InuYasha he…with the Tetsusaiga he…" she faltered, trying to drag up the right words from the scrambled depths of her mind. Things were so jumbled, however, and she found her voice trailing off helplessly as she stared up at his increasingly stunned expression.

"How do you know of the Tetsusaiga?" the inuyoukai snarled suddenly, taking an unexpected step forward. He was much taller than her – in fact, he _towered_ over her – and suddenly she felt a great deal smaller than she ever remembered feeling in his presence before. She also felt like she was in quite a bit of danger and rather wished she was still hanging off the edge of the Well instead of standing right under his imperial nose. If looks could kill, his golden eyes would have murdered her three times over.

"How do you know of InuYasha? How do you know of _me_?" he asked as she hunched her shoulders, cowering back and staring up at his face. There was cold rage in his expression – impatience and confusion mixed together in a concoction that served only to make him angry, and she knew she was in grave danger if she didn't think of something quickly. It was too damn bad her that her mind was working so slowly, these days.

"I…InuYasha and I…we traveled together," she stuttered helplessly, her voice stolen by his imposing figure. She opened her mouth to try and say more but was quickly cut off by the claws that curled around her neck, lifting her bodily from the ground. Her breath squeezed out of her in a yelp of surprise and terror as her feet lifted from the ground, her fingers going to his hands as she tried desperately to pry them loose.

"You _lie_, human! My half brother has been pinned to that cursed tree for nearly fifty years now, and you are far too young to have traveled with him before his imprisonment," he growled. He did not raise his voice, but that only made it all the more frightening. He was quiet and he was deadly – he would kill her.

"_No_," she hissed breathlessly. If her mind had been in a panic before, it was absolutely raving now. If this was some kind of joke, he was taking it way too far. She had absolutely no clue as to what was happening to her. Just yesterday she had parted from InuYasha and her friends to return home for a good night's rest – and now that she returned, she found herself facing her beloved's half-crazed brother who couldn't seem to recognize her.

_And doesn't even know his brother has been freed?_ she asked herself, terrified. None of it added up. None of it made any sense at all. What the _hell_ was happening?

The inuyoukai abruptly let her go, his lips curling into another silent snarl as he took a step backwards. She slumped into the snow, her entire body shaking and her hands still clutching at her throat. She could feel the bruises forming where his fingers had dug into her skin, and she thanked the gods that he had not cut her with those venomous and deadly claws of his. Her chest heaved as she gulped in breath, her hair falling over her hunched shoulders and face as she struggled to make sense of a situation that inherently made no sense.

"Who are you, _girl_?" the cold voice growled from somewhere above her. She wasn't looking, however. She was searching for answers within the depths of her brain, dragging up possible explanations to the situation she found herself in. She listed the facts systematically, trying to fit them together in some semblance of order that would make sense to her.

_One: He doesn't remember me. Two: He doesn't remember his brother being released from the God Tree. Three: He has his arm back. _That seemed to be all she could think of at the moment, and none of it added up no matter _what_ order she put them in.

"I asked you a question!" His voice whipped through her thoughts with such force that she could almost feel them hit her physically. She jerked her head up, eyes widening as she stared at his angry face. Part of her – the part that was detached and could still think in a semi-rational manner – wondered why he seemed so frustrated and angry. She had never seen so much emotion on his face before. Not _ever_. Now, however, he looked wary and angry and impatient and frighteningly on edge. _Why?_

"Ah, but…but you know me already," she fumbled. "Kagome, don't you remember?" His claws twitched again, but no recognition dawned on his expression.

_He really _doesn't_ know me, does he?_ she thought. The realization hit her so hard that for a moment it felt as if someone had just tossed a brick at her skull, full force. Somehow, in some way, he had completely forgotten she existed.

000

He growled as he regarded her limp form, flexing his claws and trying to pull his emotions into control. It was hard, however, with those intoxicating waves of power rolling off her body, crashing over his senses and sending goose bumps shooting across his pale skin. He didn't know who she was – nor even _what_ she was, for that matter. She certainly smelled human, but he had never met a human with an aura such as hers.

The power called to him, whispering in his ear to take it, and in return it – whatever 'it' was – would grant him unimaginable power. It beckoned to him, burning in his blood and distracting his thoughts from the curious things she said. That wasn't the only thing that bothered him, however. When his claws had curled around her throat he had felt _another_ power rise up in her, thrumming through her flesh – entirely different from that other power.

It was the power of a miko, he knew, and a strong one at that. Not only did she harbor youkai energy in her flesh, but she harbored the pure and painful power of a miko as well. That didn't make sense at all.

He took a step backwards, his lips curled into a snarl and his golden eyes narrowed to mere slits as she stared up at him with a horrified expression, babbling meaninglessly about how they had already met, or some other such nonsense. He wanted to kill her, but he was wary of getting too close to her. He had felt the tingling in his palms as her miko powers had flooded through her veins – if he hadn't let go, it would have begun to hurt, he knew.

"We have never met," he growled, thinking that if he had he would have been sure to remember her. He was certain that he hadn't, however. He had never before considered his memory to be bad. She looked dumbfounded at this, her mouth once again drooping open stupidly. He could almost see her thoughts grinding along behind those large, brown eyes of hers, and he wondered what she was thinking. He took the time to contemplate his situation.

She wore strange clothing of a foreign type he had never seen before. The fabric clung to her skin, tight and constricting and indecently revealing, he rather thought. She had long, raven black hair that flowed over her shoulders and back, dark bangs curling around her cheeks and falling loosely over her the top of her eyes. Her eyes were large and brown, her skin pale but her slim figure strong and healthy. He could smell the scent of growth on her, as well as fear and confusion. No matter how much he squinted at her he could not see her as anything but strange and foreign and unusual.

Not only did she look unusual, but she acted so as well. She seemed to recognize him, in some way – at least she knew his name, and his brother's as well. She also knew the name of the Tetsusaiga, which bothered him more than anything else. She certainly _shouldn't_ know the name of his father's sword, carved out of his own fang. And yet, she clearly did, and he had no idea how.

And then there was that troubling aura that was suffocating him. He was beginning to be able to separate it from her own aura – for it was indeed a separate entity. She was a miko, but this _thing_ reeked of youkai and of taint. It was calling out to him shamelessly, and he wanted no part of its false bargain. Power was something he would gain of his own toils, not as a discarded gift from some _other_ unnamable force.

"InuYasha." His thoughts were pulled away from him as the name was choked from the girl's throat. A wave of fear rolled off her as she pushed herself hastily to her feet, pushing her silky hair back from her face and staring around quickly to catch her bearing. He watched her cautiously, unsure of what her purpose was. She didn't seem to be focusing on him, however, so he didn't think she had any intention of attacking – and even she did, he was almost certain that he could dispatch of her easily enough, even with her formidable miko powers.

Suddenly she was rushing past him, the yellow, lumpy bag attached to her back falling loosely from her shoulders and thumping as it hit the snowy ground. He turned to watch her as she dashed to the half-hidden path that led down the hill, pausing there and staring over the edge, down to the village. She seemed to be reassured by this sight, because she squared her shoulders in a determined manner and then quickly turned off the path, tumbling through the brush and brambles.

He followed her, leaping gracefully over the obstacles that tugged and tore at her clothing. He made sure to keep a safe distance, however, in case she decided to turn on him without warning. His golden eyes burned into her back, watching her carefully and suspiciously. He had no idea what she was up to, and that bothered him. He didn't think he had ever been so clueless in all his lifetime – and if this continued, he _would_ bury his poisonous claws into her chest and rip the life from her body.

000

The sight of the village sprawled out below was a little reassuring – at least _something_ hadn't changed. It looked just the same as she remembered it from yesterday, if one excluded the snow. The little huts clustered together, thatch roofs heavy with white dust and thin tendrils of smoke curling up from tiny, makeshift chimneys. It was early in the morning though, and cold besides, so she couldn't see anyone stirring in the streets or in the fields below – but that was to be expected. She squared her shoulders, turning and pushing through the familiar path that would lead around to the other side of the God Tree.

The only way she could prove to herself that her theory was correct – or disprove it, as she fervently hoped – was to go see the tree for herself. It loomed over her, huge branches spreading out in every direction, dripping frozen dew that drifted slowly to the already frosted ground. It was a massive thing, easily seen from even a mile away – the largest tree in the area.

She forced her numb body forward, part of her eager to come around the edge of the tree, part of her dreading it. If she was right, then Sesshoumaru had never met her. If she was right, then _InuYasha_ had never met her. If she was right then, somehow, the Well had mistaken sent her too _far_ back in time – back to a time just slightly before she had first come to _Sengoku Jidai_, before she had ever freed InuYasha from his curse. If that was the case then…

_Then what?_ she asked herself, resting her palm against the frozen bark of the God Tree. She could feel its life moving sluggishly through its wooden veins. Far more importantly, she could feel the taiyoukai's gaze boring into her back, as if he sought to rip her flesh to pieces with just a look. She pushed forward again, taking a deep gulp of cold air as she came around the edge of the humongous tree and…

…and sank to her knees, her legs cushioned in a pillow of powdery snow as they collapsed beneath her, no longer willing to support her weight. Her head tilted back, her hair falling loosely over her shoulders as she stared in stunned despair at the suspended figure of her beloved. Of her InuYasha.

"How can this be?" she whispered, her voice breaking. The Well had never failed her before – why now? Why had it sent her back to this time, before she had ever even _met_ InuYasha? If she went back home, and then came back again, would she still be here? Or would she return to that time in the near future, on the cusp of their final battle against Naraku?

"How can this be…?"

000

Sesshoumaru stood off to the side, his golden eyed gaze flicking between the limp form of the strange miko and the equally limp form of his half-brother. His nose crinkled, a frown flashing across his face as she turned her pleading gaze on him, once again helplessly whispering the question: how can this be? He had no answer for her – he wasn't quite sure what it was that _shouldn't_ be, after all.

"You say you traveled with my brother," he said instead, his voice calculatedly cold as he pulled his emotions into place. "And yet, you can clearly see that that is impossible – unless you are far older than you look, of course." That was an interesting idea. She certainly smelled human, but perhaps miko's had a special power that allowed them to live longer than others. She _did_ seem rather powerful.

"Fate is cruel," the girl hissed under her breath, so low that if he had not had extraordinary hearing, he would never have caught the whisper. She almost laughed – he could sense it on the edge of her voice, a harsh and bitter thing that never blossomed into existence. He frowned again.

"Nonsense," he answered coolly, tilting his chin up and continuing. "But _fate_ matters little. You still have not answered my questions – how do you know of me? And how do you know of the Tetsusaiga? That is not a thing of common human knowledge." Or at least, he did not think so. In truth, the little amount of time he ever spent with humans usually involved a copious amount of blood and intestines smeared across the ground.

She rose to her feet then, lurching forward clumsily and almost sliding to her knees again. She moved to walk past him, murmuring something about 'returning home' under her breath. His eyes flashed as his arm lunged out, claws curling around her forearm and jerking her back. He only held on to her long enough to put her back in her place in front of him, before quickly releasing his grip. Even in that short amount of time he could feel those intense miko powers surging through her flesh again. He growled at her threateningly.

"Impudent _human_! Do you think you can ignore my questions so easily? You will not be leaving until I am satisfied!" It was irksome, this girl who ignored him so blatantly and yet whom he could not kill. Not if he wanted her knowledge, at least. Not if he wanted to avoid a battle that could cost him his life, at least.

She cowered back, however, her eyes full of fear. He had never seen a miko so spineless before in his entire life – even the weakest of the bunch were bold and foolish. This one, however, simply looked confused and cowed, as if her entire life had been flipped upside down. She didn't seem to realize that the power flooding through her veins could have fried him in an instant, if she had desired it.

"Answer my questions – now!"

"But I…I…_can't_," she hissed, taking another step back. He felt his frustration boil over, felt his claws curl around her neck once again. He could feel the surge of her power tingling across his flesh but he ignored it – at least for the time being it wasn't causing any pain.

"Then you will _die_," he growled, clenching his fingers tighter around the soft flesh of her human neck. They were such fragile creatures, so easy to break.

000

She felt the breath being crushed out of her, even more forcefully than the first time he had tried to strangle her. She struggled, scrabbling at his hand with her fingers, her eyes going wide. Her lungs seared and burned and she knew she had to do _something_ if she hoped to be free of this death grip.

"_No_!" she cried breathlessly, the word rattling from her throat like a dead creature. "You…you _need_ me!" For a moment she could see Sesshoumaru's eyes narrow, but everything was going blurry, all the colors smearing together and swirling around her head in one giant, cosmic rainbow.

And then an instant later she was kneeling in the snow again, gasping for breath and clutching at her released throat. She coughed, body trembling wildly from the strain.

"Why would _I_ need _you_?" the taiyoukai asked warily. He seemed to be extremely wary these days, considering he could kill her at any moment – and had almost done so twice. She glanced up to his face, registering the slight hint of curiosity in the arch of his brows. She found that she was not very good at coming up with lies quickly…so she simply told the truth.

"Because you don't know where the Tetsusaiga _is_," she coughed weakly, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment as she attempted to steady the swaying of the world around her. She missed the narrowing of his eyes as he looked down at her, as well as the frown that twitched on his lips.

"You may continue," he allowed after a long pause as she struggled to catch her breath and still her rapidly beating heart. She lifted one hand from her neck to rub at her temple as the easy truth once again tumbled out of her mouth.

"_I_ know where Tetsusaiga is. And besides, you can't set _him_ free without _me_."

"How can a pathetic human like you set my half brother free? And how would you know where my father's sword is hidden?" She could sense the doubt and suspicion in his voice, though she did not look at his face. She kept her eyes closed, afraid that if she opened them again the world would start toppling around her. She already felt sick to her stomach – all the extra, dizzying motion would probably make her vomit.

"I know a lot of things," she continued weakly, trying to steady her voice and sound as confident as possible. She kept one side of her brain working hard towards a solution, while she turned the other side of her brain off, refusing to acknowledge her situation and what it might mean for her future if she couldn't return to the _right_ time. "I know that you carry the Tenseiga, another heirloom of your father's, which can save a hundred lives in one swing. I know you travel with a youkai named Jaken. I know you search for the fang that your father left to InuYasha, though I am sure you have never told anyone such. I know…a lot of things." She didn't sound very confident – only tired. And sick. Both of which she very much _was_.

There was another very long pause. She finally lifted her head to look at his face. He had shifted his gaze away from her, resting it instead on the familiar figure of his half brother. She didn't dare follow his gaze, for fear that her heart would burst if she looked upon her beloved's limp and nearly lifeless form. She simply glued her eyes to the taiyoukai's elegant face, staring numbly and stupidly and without purpose.

At last the taiyoukai spoke.

"Then you will release him. And you will give me the Tetsusaiga," he murmured, lifting a hand to motion towards his brother's form.

She glanced to InuYasha at last, and thought for an instant that she might faint.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The second chapter of my rewrite! Or the first chapter, technically. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. I decided to bring the presence of the Shikon no Tama in earlier, because when I first wrote the story I completely forgot about it until...the third chapter I think? Well, with Sesshoumaru's amazing senses, I figured he would have noticed something as blatant as the cursed jewel the instant he met her, so I decided to put it in now. I also wanted to add a bit of emphasis to her miko powers. Kagome was always a very strong miko - in the first book of the manga, she fried off part of a youkai just by touching it. Now that she's been in _Sengoku Jidai_ for four years, I believe her powers would have grown quite a bit more, even if she doesn't know how to utilize them very well yet. So here you go! Please review and tell me what you think of the additions and changes!

**Next Chapter  
Chapter Two: The Tetsusaiga**

Chaos ensues as InuYasha is released from his cursed prison and the location of the graveyard is revealed to the ambitious Sesshoumaru. What will happen when the next battle begins, and the stubborn Tetsusaiga proves unwieldable?


	11. The Tetsusaiga RW

**- THE TIES THAT BIND -**

**Chapter Two: The Tetsusaiga  
**000  
The roots of the God Tree curled up its trunk, twisting and winding around the limp form of the man she had come to love. His head lolled to the side, his eyes closed and his silver white hair falling over his face. He looked oddly peaceful in his sleep – an expression she had never seen before in his waking days. The billowing sleeves of his red robe were pinned to the tree, an old arrow protruding from his chest.

It was like déjà vu. How many years had it been since she last stood before this tree, staring up at his silent form? Nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed. The ground was cloaked in snow and Sesshoumaru stood over her, his golden eyes glaring at his brother's face. That was different to its very core. And she had no idea what to do.

Still, she was not the careless fifteen year old girl she had been when she had first come to _Sengoku Jidai_. That had been nearly four years ago. She was much older now, and had the ability to think carefully before she acted, though she did not use the skill often. She took a deep breath, curling her hands in the sleeves of her jacket as she tried to ward off the biting cold of the snow around her knees.

_So somehow I have ended up back in _Sengoku Jidai_, sometime before having freed InuYasha. That means that the Tetsusaiga is still sealed away in InuYasha's eye. That means that Naraku has not yet risen to his full power, and hasn't begun his plots just yet. That means that the Shikon no Tama is still…_

Her hand traveled unconsciously to her side as she bit down on her lip. She hadn't noticed it before, but now that she thought about it, she could feel a strange and unfamiliar throbbing sensation in her side. She glanced up to Sesshoumaru, her eyes going wide as the realization fell over her completely – the Shikon no Tama was, once again, buried in her flesh. A shudder ran up her spine as she realized just how much danger she was in. Youkai were naturally attracted to the power of the jewel, and with it buried deep in her flesh, she was likely to be attacked.

_I'm likely to be attacked anyway, if I don't obey him – and quickly_, she thought as Sesshoumaru turned his wary eyes on her, a frown pursing his lips together. She knew that she could help him – it would be easy. All she had to do was remove the arrow from InuYasha's chest, and then tell Sesshoumaru of the graveyard hidden in his eye. And yet, no matter how much it made her already pained heart ache, she knew that InuYasha would not recognize her, and she didn't know if she could bare that. He would probably try to kill her, as well – to steal the Shikon no Tama from her flesh.

_Fate is cruel. It seems that no matter what I do, my own death looms ahead of me_, she thought, the frantic pace of her thoughts screeching to a halt. If that was the case, there was no point resisting any longer. Her heart already felt like it was splintering into a thousand pieces – how much more damage could one blow cause? Even if her beloved looked on her with eyes of hatred and without recognition, how much worse would that be from the tired, longing eyes he used in the future – those eyes that were always looking to Kikyou and away from her.

_But if I let him go in this way…will my future be changed forever? Will I never be able to return to the InuYasha I fell in love with?_

"What are you doing, _miko_?" Sesshoumaru snarled softly, his clawed fingers flexing. "Get up and set him free, as I said!"

It seemed she didn't have much of a choice in the first place. She pushed herself to her feet, her knees shaking beneath her as one hand brushed over the bruises purpling on her neck. She looked up to Sesshoumaru's face, sorrow and pain in her expression. She was almost nineteen years old, and yet she felt more helpless and lost than she had ever felt before. She had come to the _Sengoku Jidai_ expecting to find her friends waiting for her and had found all of her memories, all of her actions, completely erased. Now it seemed that she would have to start over in a completely different manner, and she didn't know if anything would ever turn back to how it was supposed to be.

_Maybe this is all a dream?_ she asked herself as she turned numbly towards the limp figure of InuYasha, ignoring Sesshoumaru's blazing eyes glaring into her back. She took a step forward, clambering up the huge, twisting roots clumsily, her shoes slipping on the frozen bark. She found herself standing before him far more quickly than she wanted to. She stared at his face, at the soft white ears that she had fingered when she had first come across him, all those years ago.

_What a strange boy_, she had thought then, as she tickled his ears with a curious smile on her face. It was strange, but back then she had hardly seemed afraid at all, despite the fact that she had been transferred to a time and a place she knew nothing of. Why was it that she was so afraid now? She had been thoughtlessly, carelessly confident when she had first come to _Sengoku Jidai_, knowing neither where she was nor what she was doing there. And yet now…now that she knew where she was and recognized the faces around her…why was she so afraid?

_Because before I had no expectations. Before I simply followed along, clueless and innocent and naïve. This time, however, everything is different from how I thought it would be when I leapt through the Well…_

She could feel Sesshoumaru's golden eyes boring into the back of her head as she lifted a hand, her slender fingers curling around the shaft of the arrow. She leaned forward so that her nose almost touched InuYasha's, tears welling up in her eyes.

"When I let you free…please don't hurt me," she whispered softly as the arrow came free in her hands.

000

He could feel it, a tingling sensation that caused his consciousness to stir even before he came awake. He could feel his blood begin to churn in his veins, could feel the shuddering of his heart as it came to life again. He could feel that heavy weight of sleep lifting off of him – slowly, slowly, ever so slowly. For a moment his mind was numb as blood splashed through his veins, bringing color and life to his features again. For a moment no emotion touched him, no thought disrupting his sleep. Then, like a wave bursting angrily on the cold shore of his consciousness, everything came alive.

Power surged through his limbs so suddenly that for a moment his first breath was delayed. Then he gasped, his eyes flashing open and his head falling forward. He had been pinned to the tree so long – alive and yet never able to move. He had slept for so long, only breaking into consciousness occasionally, always to find his predicament the same, and then he would slip off into sleep again, his blood running sluggishly through his veins. The sensation of his strength returning was so stunning that, for a moment, he didn't know where he was or what he was doing there.

And yet, even in his confusion, triumph welled up in his chest, rolling over him in golden and glorious waves of freedom. He shook his head furiously, a growl bursting from his throat as he tensed his muscles against the roots that clung to his frame. His golden eyes stared down at his body – at the claws that he could now flex and at the chest that now heaved with breath. He smirked, almost laughing, as he strained against the confines of the roots. The wood split, bark crackling around him and flying away as he pulled free, his silver hair falling over his shoulders and half obscuring his face.

"Free!" he howled in ecstasy, not yet having taken note of his surroundings. "Free at last!"

"It seems she did not lie." InuYasha started as the familiar voice drew him away from his triumph. He immediately dropped into a reflexive crouch, his golden eyes flashing to the face of his half brother – the cursed Sesshoumaru, the haunting reminder of the father he had lost.

"She really did release you," he continued, musing more to himself than anyone else. His narrow golden eyes traveled over InuYasha's shoulder. For a moment he only growled low in his throat before a new sensation rolled over him and he blinked and turned.

He felt as if he had just been punched in the stomach. The last of his breath whistled between his fanged teeth as he stared at the figure before him. Her eyes were wide with fear, her palms pressed against the hard bark of the tree behind her as her entire body trembled. Waves of fear rolled off of her body, half-obscuring the stench that he knew so well. The stench of the woman who had betrayed him. He could feel the growl rumbling in his throat as his golden eyes widened, hate welling up in his chest.

"_You_!" he hissed as she cowered back a bit farther, desperation in her eyes, one hand clutching her chest as if it pained her. It was Kikyou. She looked just as he remembered, though her clothing was strange and unusual. Her smell was almost exactly the same, and he could even sense the purity of her miko powers welling up beneath her skin. He could sense something as well, however – that fetid, crawling, twitching sensation that burned in his blood, calling out to him, promising power and revenge.

She had the Shikon no Tama.

That was all the realization he needed. He lunged forward with a howl of rage, claws extended, with every intent of ripping her to pieces.

000

Sesshoumaru snorted softly as his claws curled around his brother's neck, pulling him back and then tossing him effortlessly to the side. The hanyou flew through the air, slamming into the nearest tree with a yelp and sliding to the ground. He was up in an instant, however, crouched low with lips pulled back in a snarl that revealed his fangs, white ears pressed back against his skull.

The human was _his_, and he had no intention of letting his foolish half brother take her life before he was ready to part with her. She had yet to tell him the location of the Tetsusaiga – and he was sure that there was a far deeper store of knowledge in that ugly human head of hers. He didn't know _why_ she was so powerful, nor why she seemed to know so much, but he was not going to let the opportunity pass him by just so that his brother could satisfy his urge to kill.

"Why do you stop me?!" his brother snarled at him as the human slumped to the ground with a shuddering breath, her wide eyes full of unshed tears. He half turned, keeping both of them in his sight, and responded to his brother's furious question in a calm and collected manner.

"She is useful to me," he said simply, his fingers flexing as he arched a brow at his brother. His next words were directed at the human, sharp authority in his voice. "Where is the grave?" The power that rolled off of her was unnerving, but she seemed unwilling to use it, for some odd reason, and he took advantage of her hesitance and fear. She shuddered, as if his words weighed down on her, her shoulders slumping and her head bowing slightly. He could smell resignation on her, mostly overpowered by her own fear and inexplicable sorrow.

"The left black pearl," she murmured heavily, as if she were dragging the words back from some far away place. He started, his eyes widening and then narrowing in an instant – those were the words of his father's riddle, the only clue he had left as to the location of the Tetsusaiga. How could she possibly have known them?

"The left…" she continued weakly, her voice faltering as she lifted her gaze, flicking it towards InuYasha in a pleading manner. The hanyou was still growling low in his throat, eyes full of hatred as he glanced between the girl and his brother, confusion and anger broiling off his body.

"The left pupil," she said at last, her shoulders slumping. "The left eye."

Sesshoumaru blinked, stunned.

He whirled around, a smirk playing on the edges of his lips, and stepped towards his brother. The hanyou immediately stiffened, drawing back slightly and hissing through clenched teeth.

"Trust father to hide his prized possession in such an odd place," he said to himself, finally giving in and letting the smirk play across his face. He almost wanted to laugh – almost. It was such an absurdly simple thing that he was surprised he had not seen it before. It was certainly something that his father would have come up with. The left black pearl, hidden in plain sight, and yet where it cannot be seen. An eye. InuYasha's eye.

"This may hurt a little," he said, triumph in his voice. Too quick for the hanyou to move out of the way, the fingers of one hand once again curled around his throat, lifting him bodily from the ground. The hanyou snarled in his face, clamoring to get free, limbs flailing and golden eyes wide with hatred. Sesshoumaru could hear the soft, pained gasp of the girl behind him as she watched, but this he ignored. The riddle was solved, the pieces fitting together at last, and he would _finally_ have the Tetsusaiga in his hands.

"It'll only be more painful if you keep struggling," he commented mockingly. In another instant his fingers plunged into his half brother's left eye, burying in the dilated pupil.

The hanyou howled in pain, his entire body going taunt and stiff, suspended in the air as Sesshoumaru removed his fingers, a tiny black pearl clutched between them. Then he loosened his grip, letting go and hardly even sparing a glance as his brother crumpled to the ground. He turned slightly to regard the human carefully for an instant, pondering her strange power and knowledge. But that hardly seemed to matter any more – he had the pearl, the gateway to his father's graveyard, and he needed nothing more.

"At last," he hissed softly, turning his gaze out towards the depths of the forest. Jaken was not far away, he could smell him on the crisp breeze. He would need him to open the gate. The Staff of Two Heads was crucial in this, he knew. He glanced over his shoulder to his brother, who clutched a hand over his eye and snarled furiously, writhing to his feet.

"Up so quickly? Admirable," Sesshoumaru said, laughter dancing along the edges of his voice as he turned away. "Follow me, sweet brother. Follow me and face your death!" He threw his head back, silver hair streaming, and leapt into the snowy depths of the forest, following the trail that would lead him to Jaken and, at last, his father's grave.

000

Kagome's chest heaved as Sesshoumaru disappeared into the forest, too quickly for her eyes to follow. InuYasha was after him in a moment, blood welling up between his fingers and throaty snarls escaping from his lips. He seemed to have momentarily forgotten her existence – which was probably a good thing, seeing as she had the Shikon no Tama buried in her side. She pressed back against the cold bark of the tree behind her as he dashed by, momentarily squeezing her eyes shut.

And then everything was suddenly quiet. Horribly, unexpectedly, _frighteningly_ quiet. She could hear her pulse pounding like a hurricane in her eyes and her wheezing breath strangling in her throat. Her eyes flashed open as she pushed herself clumsily to her feet, urging her knees to stop shaking.

_The Well…_she thought, an image of the old thing flashing through her mind. She could escape back to her own time now – they would never notice her absence until it was too late. She could go back and try again, and maybe next time she would find herself in the right place, in the right time.

_But if it doesn't work?_ If it didn't work then she would have abandoned InuYasha. She would have abandoned him to fight his brother – neither of them able to wield the Tetsusaiga without her assistance. The only thing that had saved InuYasha's life four years ago was the fact that she had been there. Without her, what would happen to him?

_Would he die? Would everything be changed?_ He might die anyway, of course. The sword could only be used in the protection of a human being, and he seemed unlikely to come to her aide _now_. But still…

Still…

With tears blurring her vision she turned, stumbling around the edge of the tree after the two silver haired brothers. She pushed through the snow, brambles and bushes and branches catching her clothing, tearing at her skin and hindering her progress. She ignored all of this, however, a thousand images flashing through her mind.

_"I meant, let me _protect _you! Do you _hear_?!"_

She whimpered as his voice echoed in her mind, a portrait of his ever impatient face burned across her vision. And to think just last night she was in such agony over him. To think that she had been so utterly miserable, thinking of how his mind had always been occupied with Kikyou. Now she would give anything for the old InuYasha. Now she would give anything for their endless, pointless bickering. Now she would give anything to see that stubborn look flash across his face as he regarded her, crossing his arms and snorting while he mumbled under his breath. Anything, anything, _anything_…

She was startled when she stumbled into a small clearing, red robes flashing before her eyes. She blinked, stepping back slightly as her gaze focused on her surroundings. InuYasha was gone in an instant, the hint of red disappearing through the swirling portal suspended in midair, fast growing smaller. Her breath caught in her throat as she hesitated.

_Hurry, Kagome! Make your decision or it will be made for you!_ she admonished herself. She lurched forward, tumbling through clumsily and feeling the world warp around her…

…and suddenly she was gasping for breath as the wind rushed around her. She would have screamed except her lungs seemed to be empty and her brain didn't seem to have the ability to control her body anymore. She tumbled, eyes wide with terror, through open sky.

She grunted as her body landed forcibly on the bony spine of a winged skeleton, floating lightly through the air. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying desperately to still the dizzying sensation in her head and quell the urge to vomit that roiled in her stomach. The creature – whatever it was – spiraled downward towards the platform that marked InuYasha's father's grave.

She forced her eyes open, taking her time in the air to make out the situation below. Sesshoumaru was standing before the small pedestal that carried the old blade silently, a frown on his face and his gaze focused on one upheld hand. It was hard to see clearly, but she was almost certain that there were scorch marks across it. InuYasha was not far ahead of her, howling something she couldn't quite make out before he leapt from the back of his own boney escort, landing with a crack on the field of bones below.

She quickly slid off the back of the unnerving creature as it settled down on the platform, taking to the air again the moment it was free of her. She watched it for an instant, a chill crawling up her spine, before she quickly turned her gaze to the trouble that ensued ahead of her. Jaken, the strange little green youkai, was scrambling towards the edge of the platform as Sesshoumaru deftly dodged a clumsily blow that InuYasha shot his way.

_What will you do, Kagome?_ a voice asked in her head. It was her own voice and it sounded calm and reasonable. She certainly didn't _feel_ calm _or_ reasonable.

_What _will_ I do?_

000

Sesshoumaru's mind reeled from the fact that he could not touch the blade. A barrier crackled around it, repelling him the moment he reached his hand out towards it, searing his flesh and sending sharp darts of pain up his spine. The idea was almost unfathomable. There it was, right in front of him, old and decrepit looking as it stuck out from the stone pedestal, and yet he couldn't take it.

_After searching so long_, he thought, anger boiling in his mind. _It all comes to nothing._ It was cruel of his father – leaving him the useless Tenseiga while handing the fang over to his pathetic hanyou brother. It was almost too much to bear.

He hissed as he leapt lightly out of the way of his brother's claws. The attack was clumsy, haphazard, and easy to avoid.

"Our battle is not done yet, Sesshoumaru!" he snarled, skidding and sending waves of bones flying in every direction as he landed. Was his father so cruel? He couldn't help but wonder, his gaze flicking between his half brother and the old sword, mired in the pedestal. Would he really, truly, leave the blade to InuYasha, the useless hanyou? He _had_ to know.

"Take it, brother," he said, his voice a good deal more calm than he actually felt as he motioned with one elegant hand towards the sword. His brother growled, following the motion with his eyes and frowning, his brows furrowing.

"What do _I_ want with an old sword?" he asked haughtily, flexing his clawed hands. "These claws of mine are enough to handle you!"

Sesshoumaru lunged forward with a snarl, bowling into InuYasha's side and sending him flying, bones once again scattering in every direction. The hanyou grunted as he hit the ground, one eye wide with anger, the other sealed shut and caked with blood. He pushed himself to his knees, his chest heaving with each breath.

"Take it," Sesshoumaru commanded again, his imperial voice full of impatience and authority. The hanyou stared up at him hatefully, pushing himself to his feet. The pedestal was only a couple of feet to his left. He stumbled over to it, never removing his one eye from Sesshoumaru's face.

"Is this what you came for?" he asked as he moved, his voice full of mockery. "This pathetic stick of _rust_?"

_Is this whom you left the Tetsusaiga for?_ Sesshoumaru asked himself, an image of his father swirling before him. _This hanyou who knows nothing, and calls it a 'stick of rust'?_ It was absurd – the Tetsusaiga, a stick of _rust_?

He did not respond, however. The foolish statement wasn't even worth his consideration. He simply narrowed his eyes, watching as his brother's hands curled around the worn hilt. He noted that the barrier did not try to repel _InuYasha_ and felt his heart thud in his chest as his half brother began to pull.

The hanyou grunted as he pulled back on the sword, using one foot on the pedestal as leverage. Sesshoumaru was somewhat startled to see that the sword did not budge. No barrier threw him backwards, but all the same, no matter how much he pulled, the sword did not come free.

"What were you thinking, father?" he murmured to himself as the hanyou snarled, letting go of the blade and whirling to face Sesshoumaru again.

"The worthless thing is stuck!" he snarled stupidly. "What is this – some sort of trick?"

"It seems you cannot remove the blade either," he mused, focusing his golden eyes on his brother once again. "Then I have no use for you." He lunged forward, claws gleaming.

InuYasha stumbled backwards, snarling as the poisonous claws bit into his shoulder. He threw back his head and howled in fury and in pain as he felt the poisonous touch sizzle through his flesh, burning it all away until only a gaping hole remained. Sesshoumaru removed his claws, leaping backwards lightly and cocking his head to the side. It was all too easy and he, in his frustration, desired an actual _battle_.

"Foolish brother," he hissed. "At least make it _something_ of a – " He broke off in midsentence, his entire body tensing as his gaze flashed to his left. His golden eyes widened in amazement.

The strange young miko stood over the pedestal, her black hair half obscuring her face as she stumbled back. She had removed the sword.

She had removed _Tetsusaiga_.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The third chapter of my rewrite! I decided to make Kagome a little less helpless and frantic, though she obviously is having quite a few issues. I was annoyed with how pathetic she acted the first time I wrote these chapters. In the manga, no matter what she faced she was always confident - mostly because she had no idea what was going on, I think. At least here I gave her a sense of purpose. She's almost nineteen and she's been through quite a bit, so I figured I'd give her something of a backbone so she could better handle the situation. Hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think!

**Next Chapter  
Chapter Three: The Miko And The Inuyoukai**

Fate is cruel and painful in too many ways to count. With her beloved seeking her death, Kagome's fate suddenly lies in the hands of Sesshoumaru - the seemingly heartless inuyoukai she had faced in battle so many times before.


	12. A Taiyoukai's Patience RW

**Chapter Three: A Taiyoukai's Patience**  
000  
She had removed _Tetsusaiga_.

How was it possible? How was it possible that _he_ could not remove it – could not even touch it – and yet she, somehow, _could_? How was it possible that a mere human could know so much about him and his brother and even his long dead father? How was it possible that she had known where to find his father's grave, that she had known the answer to the riddle with which he had struggled for so many long years? How was _any_ of it possible?

He dodged out of the way of his brother's next clumsy attack, lashing out with a punch that landed squarely on his younger brother's gut. The hanyou soared through the air – not for the first time – crashing into the bone-strewn ground a few yards away. Sesshoumaru didn't spare him so much as a glance, striding quickly to where the strange miko stood over the blade, her fingers clutched convulsively around the hilt. Her hair veiled her face and she did not glance up upon his approach, though by the stiffening of her shoulders, he knew that she was aware of his presence.

"Give me the Tetsusaiga, girl," he hissed impatiently, his pride more than a little stricken by the fact that she had succeeded where he had failed. His fingers twitched, his claws longing to bury themselves deep in her flesh and tear her infuriating life to pieces. But who was to say what other pieces of useful knowledge she carried in that seemingly human head of hers? No, she was far too valuable a life to be wasted on mere impatience. He would keep her alive until her value had played itself out – then he would kill her.

"You cannot wield it," she whispered despairingly. "It can only be used by one who carries human blood in their veins…and even then, only in the _defense_ of a human." He narrowed his eyes impatiently, his sharp hearing picking up the sound of his brother's movement behind them.

"Nonsense," he hissed, reaching out to grasp the blade. She did not move back, allowing his fingers to brush over the hilt. The moment skin touched old leather, the barrier flared to life once again, crackling in his veins. He jerked his hand back, lips pulled from teeth in another silent snarl.

So she was right. _How_? How did she know such things that even _he_ did not know?

Her gaze lifted at last, brown eyes meeting his with a strange, unfathomable determination.

His thoughts were jerked rudely back to his current situation. He whirled around smoothly, grabbing his brother by the foot as the hanyou leapt to attack, once again tossing him carelessly away. The hanyou howled in angry frustration, twisting in the air and landing, for once, on his feet. The boy was proving to be more of a nuisance than entertainment – too weak to really put up a fight, but too strong to be completely ignored.

"Jaken!" he snapped impatiently. The little youkai stumbled forward, clattering noisily through the field of bones as he dashed towards his master. Sesshoumaru made a sharp motion with his hand, indicating his brother. He could feel red-hot anger boiling up in his chest – the situation was entirely impossible. Finally, _finally_, the Tetsusaiga was in his grasp…and yet he could not _wield_ it!

"Get rid of him," he growled out the order. "Use the staff." It was time to end this pointless battle. It was time to settle down somewhere and sort out what had happened and what was going to happen. It was time to tear that wretched human's skull open and pick her brains until he knew _exactly_ what was going and who she was.

"InuYasha!" the girl cried, stumbling forward. Sesshoumaru caught her by the waist as she attempted to slip by him, lifting her up effortlessly. The smaller youkai turned, slamming the bottom of the staff against the cluttered floor and directing the ugly, grizzled head towards the hunched figure of the hanyou. The taiyoukai watched, satisfied, as a breathtakingly large gout of flame shot forward from the old head's mouth, sizzling in the air.

"_InuYasha_!" the girl screamed, the stench of terror roiling off her body in thick waves. He tightened his grip around her waist, making another impatient motion towards the green youkai. It was time to be off.

He threw himself into the air, girl in arm, servant clutching the white tail that decorated his haori. She struggled against him, kicking and flailing and screaming, over and over and over again, his younger brother's name.

The terrified sorrow in her voice made him wonder if perhaps she was telling the truth – if perhaps she _did_ know the hanyou from another, long past time.

000

It was the pain that dragged her back into cursed consciousness. It tingled up her spine, pumping in her veins and searing along her skin. Every inch of her body ached with emotional and physical stress to the point that she could barely move. Her head throbbed and pounded, scattering whatever incoherent thoughts remained in her mind. Not only that, but whatever she had been sleeping on was very hard and very cold.

A soft moan escaped her lips as she pushed herself up onto her elbows, squinting around at her dim surroundings. The ground was indeed hard and cold – packed, frozen earth littered with brittle sticks and small rocks that jabbed into her ribs and left ugly imprints on her skin. Whoever had settled her here hadn't bothered to clear away the rubble beneath. A small fire crackled not far away at the center of what appeared to be a small clearing. Dark trees loomed up from the frosted ground on all sides, their branches lacing together to form a quasi-barrier against the worst part of the snow. On the other side of the flickering flames, she could just barely make out the black outline of a small, squat figure carrying what appeared to be a walking stick much too large for him.

She jerked up suddenly as the memories came rushing back to her in a flood of distorted images – and let out a small yelp of pain as the abrupt movement seared like fire through her muscles. Images of InuYasha consumed in leaping flames burst orange in her mind, and though she knew he would not, could not, be harmed by them, she could not help the terror that welled up in her chest. Had he been injured? Where was he now? What was he doing? Not that there was anything she could do about it – the hanyou wanted to kill her just as much as he wanted to kill his taiyoukai brother, it seemed.

Speaking of…

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" she murmured softly, carefully keeping the honorific –_sama_ added to the name, for safety's sake. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the light of the fire and the deep darkness that surrounded it, her gaze scanning her immediate area. She could not find the tell-tale glint of silky white hair, nor the golden flecks that marked the taiyoukai's eyes. The only creature keeping her company seemed to be the odd little green one, called Jaken. His eternally wide, orb-like eyes stared at her from across the flames.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is not back yet, human," the youkai remarked disdainfully. His expression appeared to be arrogant, though it was honestly hard to tell on his strangely inhuman features. She stared at him silently for a moment, massaging her shoulders in a vain attempt to get some of the ache out of them. And to think that just last night she had been so unappreciative of her warm bath and equally warm bed.

She inched forward towards the crackling flames before pausing, her gaze catching on something else. It looked like a stick at first, though upon squinting she could make out the smooth, straight lines of an old sword, its worn hilt glinting dully in the orange glow.

"Tetsusaiga," she breathed. Sheathed and decrepit, it looked just the same as she remembered from the future. How unusual it was to see it standing alone, propped against a tree rather than a shoulder. InuYasha had never let the sword out of his sight, very rarely relinquishing it to the care of another. Without him to carry it, it looked as average and unremarkable as any other ancient sword one might find in the region.

"It seems that Sesshoumaru-sama cannot wield the sword himself," the little youkai sniffed disdainfully. "That's why he has taken you – to carry it until such a time as he may carry it alone." The youkai did not seem happy about this in the least. He regarded her suspiciously, his beak-like mouth turned down in an irritated frown. She wondered if he blamed the barrier on the old blade upon _her_.

Her hand reached out slowly, her fingers running along the edge of the blade. It was hard to believe that this was the blade InuYasha had saved her life with so many times before. It was no longer his to carry now, it seemed. She wondered if it would ever be again.

_I've got to get home_, she thought desperately. Strange that home to her was no longer her home in Tokyo, but her 'home' in _Sengoku Jidai_. Her home among her friends, and with an InuYasha that knew her and cared about her, at least on some level.

"He'll never be able to wield it," she murmured at last, dragging herself back to the present moment and away from painful thoughts of her beloved hanyou. Her heart ached in her chest, throbbing against her ribs. It was the only thing familiar to her in this strange twist of events, that old pain.

She turned her gaze away from the blade, glancing around her surroundings again. The trees loomed as dark and silent as ever, and she could make out the thin gleam of starlight between their intertwined branches. She wondered where exactly she was – if the Bone Eater's Well was near, she might be able to escape back to her own time and try again. Perhaps it was a one-time mistake. If she went back to the future and then came back again, perhaps she would end up where she was _supposed_ to be. The right place, the right time.

_The right place and the right time isn't in the past at all_, she thought wryly, her heart picking up its pace and her throbbing headache increasing in tempo. _I shouldn't be anywhere in the Sengoku Jidai at all_. The idea of going back to the future and staying there was growing increasingly more appealing with each passing moment.

Her ever-present thoughts of InuYasha crushed any desire to return and remain in the future – or perhaps the 'present' was a better term for it. There was no way that she could possibly return to her life there without knowing that InuYasha was safe and happy.

"Where are we?" she asked tiredly, cutting off whatever Jaken had been saying while she had lost herself to her thoughts. The youkai made another disdainful sniffing sound, shifting the apparent walking stick from one shoulder to the other.

"We are a ways away from the God Tree where InuYasha was bound, though still in the same forest," he responded sourly. "Now stop talking, human. You tire me!"

If she hadn't been so distressed with her situation, she might have found the whole thing absolutely hilarious. Here was the little green youkai that looked almost comically like a bed monster in some children's book berating _her_ as if she were some lower being. He had been the same in the future, of course, looking down on humans in general despite the fact that he did little more than tag around at Sesshoumaru's heels and avoid battling as much as possible. Still, she had rarely been in contact with him then, and certainly never _alone_. This was something entirely new to her.

_I could get up and leave now_, she mused. She wasn't certain if the youkai would be able to harm her or not. On one hand, he had the staff – and she had seen just what that was capable of doing, and she had no robe like InuYasha's to protect her from the flames. On the other hand, however, she was needed to carry the Tetsusaiga. He wouldn't risk Sesshoumaru's ire by killing her during an escape attempt, would he? Of course, that could be solved easily enough by kidnapping another human from some nearby village. Any human would do when it came to carrying the sword.

_But perhaps he does not know that_, she mused. It would be best if she kept the little youkai and his master in the dark as much as she possibly could without getting herself killed. The less they knew, the greater her advantage was, and the greater her advantage, the _safer_ she was. Yes, that seemed logical…

_Then again, if I got them another human to carry the blade around, perhaps they would let me go and I could make my way back to the Bone Eater's well and…_ Her thoughts trailed off helplessly. She didn't know what to do – mostly because she didn't know what _he_ would do. It was a difficult task, deciding how to act when she couldn't discern how the taiyoukai was likely to _re_act.

But then it was too late.

She lifted her gaze as Sesshoumaru's elegant figure moved gracefully into the flickering glow of the fire, his fur draped over his shoulder and his haori in pristine condition. It seemed that no matter how many fights he delved into, he never looked even slightly ruffled. There were no tangles in his beautiful hair, no stains on his clothing and no blood or scars across his white skin. He was a perfect specimen of the youkai race – a lord over lords. A _taiyoukai_.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" squawked Jaken, scrambling to his feet and bending over in a clumsy bow. "Welcome back. I have prepared a fire for your return." The youkai lord ignored him. His gaze scanned over the clearing before coming to rest chillingly on her, and she met his gaze, wide-eyed. He said nothing, however, and after a moment he turned away, moving over to a tree illuminated just barely by the edge of the fire's flickering light, as far away from the two as he could get without stepping into the darkness altogether. He sat down smoothly, his back leaning up against the trunk, one leg stretched out on the ground and the other pulled close to his chest.

Kagome stared at the great youkai quietly for a long moment before once again inching closer to the fire, leaving the Tetsusaiga where it remained propped against its own tree. She pulled her shoes and then her socks off, wiggling her stiff toes as they absorbed the heat. She wasn't sure what else she could do – Sesshoumaru was not the type of demon one could easily start a conversation with, and Jaken didn't seem likely to help.

"Why am I here?" she asked after a long time of awkward silence. Not awkward for him, she was sure, but certainly for herself. She knew the answer to her question already, but it seemed a reasonable way to start _something_. Then again, perhaps it was smarter not to start anything at all.

Jaken opened his mouth to respond angrily, probably to remind her that he had already told her of her purpose. It was Sesshoumaru who answered first, however, silencing any remark the smaller youkai might have made.

"You are here because I will it," he answered. There was no hatred in his voice, no impatient, no anger. There wasn't much of anything at all. He was simply speaking, his voice cool and calm. "I cannot carry the Tetsusaiga myself, and so, for the time being, you will carry it for me."

"You will never be able to wield it," Kagome blurted out, repeating the words she had mumbled to Jaken only minutes before. Her head was still throbbing, though the ache in her limbs was beginning to alleviate as the heat of the fire seeped slowly into her flesh. Even the painful throbbing of her heart began to subside as she turned her thoughts from InuYasha and on to the present situation. She wondered again, briefly, if perhaps it was better to just keep her mouth shut.

"…because it can only be wielded for the protection of a mortal, am I correct?" he asked softly. She wasn't sure if he really required an answer, so she simply nodded her head numbly. The motion hurt.

"That does indeed pose something of a problem," he said pensively, his gaze directed at the crackling flames of the modest campfire. For some reason those words struck her as oddly funny, despite the fact that he seemed entirely serious in their utterance. Jaken's wide eyes flashed continually between the two of them, though he kept quiet.

"Tell me, girl," Sesshoumaru continued slowly after another long, awkward pause. His golden eyes shifted from the fire, settling on her with the force of a ten ton boulder. "Why do you emit so much power?"

She stared slightly, the question entirely unexpected. For a moment she hadn't a clue as to what he was talking about – she had never been considered a particularly strong miko, certainly not compared to Kikyo and certain other priestesses of legend and lore, and no youkai had ever before remarked on any sort of 'power' that she might emit. Her mouth opened as she struggled for something to say and then closed again.

The realization hit hard and fast.

She inwardly cursed herself for forgetting the immensely dangerous situation she was in. It wasn't so much that she had been kidnapped by a seemingly heartless taiyoukai, nor the fact that the man she had fallen in love with appeared to be out for her blood. No – the Shikon no Tama was buried in her flesh, and any youkai with something even _resembling_ a brain would undoubtedly be drawn to it. Even if they weren't entirely certain what it was, it seemed.

The taiyoukai's gaze boring holes into her skull dragged her back to the present. She gulped, her gaze flicking around quickly as she struggled to come up with a quick lie. Certainly he'd find out eventually, but she was in no way ready to feel his claws digging in her flesh to tear it from her.

"I…that is…" she stuttered helplessly, her gaze turning back on Sesshoumaru. She suddenly, and rather stupidly, wished she had taken the Tetsusaiga with her to the side of the fire, though it certainly wouldn't be of any help.

_He never showed any interest in the jewel any time in the future,_ she thought reassuringly. _Though then again…who is to say what _else_ might have changed this time around?_

"It's because I am a miko," she blurted out abruptly, desperately grabbing to the first semi-plausible idea that popped into her mind. "Yes. Because I am a…very powerful miko." Her fingers clutched unconsciously at her side and she shuddered as Sesshoumaru's eyes slowly narrowed to molten-gold slits. She knew then that he was aware that she was lying. There was no way he would believe such a lame excuse as that. Thus she was startled when his gaze turned slowly back to the fire and he asked a different question instead.

"How do you know my foolish half-brother?" he asked. Kagome nearly heaved a sigh of relief, her hand slowly moving away from her side and going instead to rub at her throbbing temple. This was certainly far too much to deal with in one day. "Life shattering" seemed to be a good phrase for it. She was rather proud of herself for handling it all so well, excluding her pathetic attempt at lying.

"I…I have met him before, but I don't believe he remembers me," she murmured, lowering her eyes. It wasn't a lie – not really. She _had_ met him before, certainly. 'Before' in the future. And he didn't really remember _her_ either – he had mistaken her for Kikyo yet again.

"Unless I am mistaken, he has been pinned to that tree many more years than you have been alive," the answer came calmly. It was unnerving, just how calm he was – especially considering all the impatience and frustration he had shown in his father's grave.

"Do not lie to Sesshoumaru-sama, filthy _human_!" Jaken interrupted, his little hand clenching around his staff threateningly. Kagome glanced to him, hunching her shoulders slightly before flicking her gaze back to Sesshoumaru. His expression had not changed – in fact, he gave no sign of having heard Jaken at all.

"I'm _not_," she murmured, lowering her head and staring at the ground. The headache was getting worse, and her body still ached at least a little.

"Then how did you meet my lord's half-brother if he has been nearly dead all this time?" Jaken asked haughtily, his giant eyes narrowing again. The firelight played across his taunt, green skin in eerie ways. He was not a threatening figure in the least, but she could not help but cringe.

She was becoming desperate now. There were far too many questions that she wasn't certain how to answer. She could tell the truth, of course – the real truth – but then she would give away whatever advantage she held over the two youkai, and she was relatively certain that her ability to carry the Tetsusaiga wasn't the _only_ thing keeping her alive.

"That is…I cannot say," she whispered, her voice breaking half way through the statement. Even if he would not kill her, there was no reason Sesshoumaru wouldn't at least _hurt_ her, right?

_You only need one arm to carry that sword, correct_? She could already hear his cool voice threatening her mockingly in her head.

"What manner of clothing do you wear? Where does it come from?" Sesshoumaru interrupted before Jaken had a chance to protest. She was amazed – amazed that he had yet to threaten her, even though she was most definitely not adequately answering all of his questions. Or any of them, really. He only stared into the fire, however, a serene expression on his aristocratic features.

"My cloths?" she asked, glancing down at her body. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, as well as a light winter jacket. Her jacket was unbuttoned, revealing the tight black shirt beneath, decorated with what would be considered strange symbols to the two youkai.

"Ah. These are…these are from my home town," she answered. That wasn't really a lie either – though maybe there was a tag on the back that said 'made in China', or some such. Still, the spirit of the statement wasn't exactly a lie.

"Strange. I have never seen attire like yours before, and I have traveled long and far from these lands," Sesshoumaru pointed out coldly.

"My…my home is _very_ far away. I doubt you would ever come across it in your troubles," she responded, attempting to keep her voice as calm and confident as possible. It was hard work.

Sesshoumaru did not respond, and neither did Jaken. The smaller youkai stared at her hatefully from across the fire while the larger gazed into the flickering flames in silence. She watched the two of them quietly for a long time, only the crackling of the fire and the occasional hoot of an owl interrupting the silence. Her body was beginning to feel as heavy as lead, her eyes having trouble staying open. She could feel the darkness around her pressing in, caressing her body into a state of blissful unawareness.

_Perhaps when I wake up, this will all be just a dream…_ was her last thought before she finally gave in to the shadows and fell into a deep but troubled sleep.

000

"What do you think of her, Sesshoumaru-sama?" his youkai servant asked as the human eventually drifted off to sleep, her body curling into a ball, one hand clutched at her side. He ignored the question, turning his head away from the fire to gaze into the looming darkness that was, to his sharp eyes, not so dark at all.

"Get to sleep, Jaken. We will leave early in the morning tomorrow. My foolish half-brother is still in the area," he responded. The little youkai squeaked in acquiescence, fumbling around until he found an apparently comfortable position and closing his luminous eyes. He stayed awake for quite some time, however, and it was only until much later that Sesshoumaru heard the steadying of his breath and the soft snores that marked his sleep.

His gaze shifted over to the human then. Her face was contorted in sleep into an expression of deeply rooted worry and fear. That was not surprising in the least, of course, as she had just been kidnapped by a taiyoukai. But she was a miko, and that made everything a thousand times stranger. Why had she not attempted to purify him, though she claimed that she was so strong a miko? Any other miko put into such a situation, even one with half her strength, would have put up _some_ sort of fight – and likely died in the process. And yet this girl – she who had removed the seal on InuYasha and even taken the Tetsusaiga itself – curled up helplessly on the cold ground and didn't bother putting up so much as a little squabble.

This made him _almost _nervous.

There were many strange things about the human that he could not even begin to comprehend. His nearly uncontrollable anger had worn off, his frustration over the unusable Tetsusaiga finally caving in to the voice of reason that remained always in the forefront of his mind. She was too valuable – there was a strange depth of knowledge that seemed unnatural to him stored in her mind. He had not smelled the scent of lies on her when she claimed she had met InuYasha before, either. And yet, she was far too young to have done so – certainly not while he was conscious, at least, and only a fool would claim to know an unconscious man. He hadn't smelled the scent of lies when she had told him about where her clothing came from as well.

She _had_ lied when trying to explain the strange power emitted from her body, however, and he didn't need his nose to be able to tell that. That was another curiosity – exactly what _was_ it that he sensed? It called to him, though more subtly now that he continued to resist its lure.

"Who exactly _are_ you, girl?" he murmured to himself, listening to his two companions' quiet breathing. There was no answer forthcoming. The heavens were silent on this matter and the moon watched him from its lazy perch in the sky – the same crescent figure imprinted on his forehead. It didn't matter. He would keep her by him and find out all these answers and more – even if he had to rip them out of her. For the time being, she would carry the Tetsusaiga for him, until he found out the secret to wielding it for himself. The barrier his father had placed on it was still effective and, if the girl was right, it would not transform for him. Not ever, perhaps.

_Using the Tetsusaiga to protect pathetic _humans_, _he thought disdainfully, his eyes narrowing. _That is something only you would do, father. I am not so foolish._

He flexed his hands, turning away from the fire so that his cheek rested against the soft fur pelt wrapped around his shoulder. He would have all his answers _eventually_, he knew. Now all he required was a bit of patience.

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Oh wow. Wow. It's been a long, long time. I feel rather bad for ditching everyone in the middle of the re-write, especially after claiming it wouldn't take any more than a week or so. Well uh... I was shuffling through the documents saved on my computer, and I found this story! So I thought that maybe, just maybe, I'd start writing again... and here it is! Majorly delayed, of course...but still!

((And in the spirit of olden days...I shall proceed to shamelessly beg. Please review! Your kind words power the electricity in my house and keep my computer running so that I may write more!))


	13. Revision

**REVISION**

For those of you awaiting the next update, I figure it's best to warn you ahead of time! I've created a new story under the same name (The Ties That Bind) that has the word REVISED in the summary – you can find it in my profile, of course. From now on, all updates will be posted in this new revised edition. I'm currently in the process of editing the chapters, and should have everything posted up soon.

Please continue to support me by reading the new chapters there! Once all the revisions are completed, I'll delete this version of the story.

Thank you so much for your patience! I imagine it must be rather frustrating, having me doing so much editing and whatnot… I'm a perfectionist, it seems. –sniffle- Bear with me!

**((Check out my profile for the new revised edition, please!))**


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